Shepard's Sunrise

By Sheryl Livingston

Shel Shepard was abandoned by his mother then his wife. When he meets Emily Chapmen he has to fight his head to listen to his heart to persue her. Emily is afraid of a relationship because her past is very much alive and is a danger to anybody who gets close to her. Together they have to overcome her past and trust issues to find love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Apr 8, 2011
• ISBN: 9781257487868

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1

Shel’s beer froze halfway to his lips when she walked in the door. A vision of the night she was. Long, dark, brunette hair with red highlights sparking in the subdued over head lights, wide oval eyes blinked seductively to nobody in particular. Her dress, that barely covered her, was blazing red. Shapely legs just kept coming out from beneath the short hem of the skirt. All eyes followed as spike high heels, which made her seem taller than she really was, glided over the floor till she joined three other women. She slowly, gracefully lowered herself into her chair facing the oddly hushed crowd.

Shel realized he wasn’t the only male stunned by the dazzling beauty of the woman. Mouths gaped and eyes stared as she took her seat and seemed to wink at the whole room. The men seemed to melt and the women seethed. Now, this was a woman who had confidence in what she could do just by walking into a room. All Shel’s inborn defenses were screaming, but he shut them down to stare along with his friends. She didn’t give any particular man a look and through the night she rebuffed any advances made toward her. Shel and Bryant were content to sit at the bar and admire from afar.

Shel wondered which man in the room would be the lucky one who’d walk out that door with that beauty.

Now that’s a fine example of womanhood, Bryant murmured as he sipped his whiskey. He had a beer sitting on the counter, also. He never mixed the two together in a traditional boiler maker but preferred to sip the whiskey then follow it with the beer. Bryant never guzzled. He was the commander of his men and preferred to set an example of patience, even when out to get drunk.

Something tells me she can be a handful, Shel agreed as he sipped his beer. At six foot two, broad shoulders and narrow waist, with strawberry hair topping an impressively handsome face, Shel had no trouble finding women to spend time with him. He generally tended to the more sweet candy type than that explosive firecracker style that woman seemed to evoke. This was one filly a man couldn’t rope and tame with a sweet treat and kind word. This one would be high maintenance. And why was he even giving her a second glance? High maintenance was exactly what he didn’t want.

In more ways than one, Bryant chuckled as he threw back the rest of the whiskey and followed with a swallow of beer. He turned his back on the woman and let the rest of his men ogle her. He chose to listen to his alarm bells. He checked his watch. Last call guys; half hour to return to base. He ignored the groans and continued to drink his beer.

The woman looked at the prospects as her friends filled her in one who was who. She preferred to send her friends in to check out the selection and make her entrance later. She knew the affect she had. Her friends were all lovely in their own right but they knew they paled in comparison, and let her have first choice of the goods. That’s what the men were to them, goods to get pleasures and material needs satisfied. They pointed to the man who was the only one sitting with his back completely to them. He was the leader and, from what they could gleam, was also of an affluent family.

She looked him over. Tall and muscular from the back, she could only guess at his looks, which her friends insisted were fantastic. She knew when to approach a Mark and when to stay away. His stance clearly said stay away.

What about baby-face next to him? she asked indicating Shel.

Oh, he’s just a Lieutenant, one of the women snorted. That other is a Captain, at least, and he may have funds to share.

The woman looked down her nose at the stupid woman in front of her. Why did she put up with these amateurs? That Captain is closed off. He’s not open to be made a mark of. You got to learn the signs, Sammy. He would put you down so fast you’d feel like a bomb had hit you. Now, what did you learn about the Lieutenant?

The women looked at each other in frustration. They couldn’t let go of the man’s obvious good looks and the signs that he was more than a Captain. The way he carried himself suggested higher education, as well as enough wealth to pay for it. The woman sighed to herself. They were hopeless. She would have to point out all the warning signs before they would move on to discussing the Corporal. In her eyes he would make a much easier mark than the Captain.

The Captain may be handsome and, yes, all the clues to a hidden wealth are there, she said indicating the Captain. Now, look at his stance. The obvious is he’s already turned away. He’s not interested. If you notice, even the married, off limits men are still staring at us. His stance is tight; closed. He is sending out the signal: ‘Do not even think about it’. Now, look at the Lieutenant.

The women all discreetly turned their eyes to the young man standing at the bar beside the Captain. The woman addressed as Sammy stared a little longer than the others. She was the one who had talked to the young man earlier. Secretly she was hoping he would be passed over in this Mark search. She couldn’t help but like his gentle manners and the quiet strengths she felt just by standing next to him. She wanted him for herself and not because he was a possible Mark. Her look wasn’t lost on the leader of the pack. Marianne smiled to herself.

Look, see how he stands? she asked them, pointing with her chin rather than her hands. They couldn’t make it obvious they were discussing anybody. It was lesson time and she never was a patient teacher. She wanted this lesson done so she could plan her strategy. Even with his tongue hanging out you can see class. He may be rough around the edges, but he’s no poor peep who joined the Military to escape poverty.

How can you tell that just by looking? another of the women asked. She looked around. The place was full of Military personnel, both men and women. They all looked alike to her in their uniforms. Now, give her a man on the street and she could tell you by what he was wearing if he was worth pursuing or not. But these men, sitting or standing at the bar, were all alike to her. She knew officers were usually from affluent families so she stuck with them. A lieutenant may be an officer, but he was way low on the totem pole. She wouldn’t even consider a mere enlisted man.

Did you notice the insignias all those men at the bar are wearing? the woman asked. The women all turned as one to eye the men a bit more obviously than Marianne would have liked. Turn around before you make fools of yourselves. She needed to find a new posse, these women were hopeless. She didn’t feel any loyalties to them and pitied them for feeling it toward her. She knew she would drop them in a heartbeat if they held her back from her goals. Those goals were going to get her out of this back water and into a posh home with everything she ever wanted.

Those insignias mean they are elite, she added as the women turned their attention back to her. They are Special Forces. It takes ‘special’ men to make it there.

That doesn’t mean they are rich special, just strong, tough and probably dumb enough to blindly follow orders, The third woman finally spoke up. She wasn’t going to admit she had eyed the lieutenant herself. He was kind of cute and she loved red hair. She was the least mercenary of the group and tried to look at more than just the pocket book, though she wasn’t going to settle for a poor handsome dude. She was sad, though, that Marianne seemed to home into him. She was also aware that Sammy had homed into the same things she had about him. She had had hopes to get him alone herself, if only for one night.

They are far from dumb in that unit, Marianne sighed, forcing herself not to shake her head. They have to know how to think to survive.

So how does this help us find a rich man?

You first pick a man who knows how to achieve, Marianne spoke quietly so the others had to lean in to hear her. Then you watch how he carries himself. Even if he may have started poor you can tell if a man has achieved success. I can tell you if that success was worked for or given to him. That corporal, for instance, has an air about him. He carries himself with confidence. He may not be extremely rich but his family isn’t hurting either, I would bet. Georgia, you seem to find him appealing, you get close and find out what you can. We’ll all meet for lunch tomorrow to hear his stats.

Marianne noticed Sammy’s slight wince and Georgia’s barely contained frown. The fact that two of her girls had noticed this man proved even more that he was her next Mark.

Okay, Georgia agreed solemnly. There went her hopes to grab him. She secretly hoped he was dirt poor so Marianne would leave him to her. If what she had said was true, even if he was not rich now he had what it took to become so, Georgia could live with that.

Darn, she’s leaving, Shel commented as the woman got up and sauntered out the door.

She was out of your league anyway puppy, Bryant gaffed as he slapped the younger man on the shoulder hard enough to slam him into the bar. Drink up, its time to get back to the base.

2

Bryant stood in the shadows watching his best friend and soon to be brother-in-law as he worked cleaning a stable. It was a job that could be handed down to a subordinate, but Weldon, Shel’s father and owner of the ranch, believed that if one forgot the smaller and dirtier jobs they forgot the importance of all jobs. It was also one of them jobs good for taking out built up frustration. Seems Shel was turning his work into a treatment session.

Shel was attacking the dirty straw as if it were an enemy combatant. Dirty straw was flying everywhere. The customary cocky persona Shel usually portrayed had eroded to a silent, sullen attitude of late. Bryant’s wedding was a month away and he wondered if Shel was going to make it till then. He wondered if the rest of them would make it. Shel’s unusual moodiness was throwing the rest the cowhands for a loop. Nobody knew how to deal with this morose man. More than one had gone to Bryant asking him to do something.

For more than one reason Bryant felt he did need to intercede. Shel had brought his sister, Kelly, and Bryant together. He had practically thrown them together up at the mountain cabin. Bryant knew Shel didn’t regret his matchmaking. He knew Shel was happy for both Bryant and Kelly. He also knew what was really bothering him.

Bryant was one of the few who knew the whole story of Shel’s childhood. One didn’t spend hours or days on reconnaissance without getting to know your buddies; the men you had to trust with your life. Bryant was the captain of his unit. He wasn’t that much older than his men, which made it easier to bond with them. He knew squad leaders who thought it beneath them to bond with their men; they felt a little distance was better to lead. Who knows, maybe they were right. They didn’t seem to mourn the loss of their men as deeply as Bryant. Bryant didn’t think it was a weakness to know his men and be friends. For him, it allowed him to know where their strengths were and use those strengths accordingly out in the field.

He also knew that there was more to it than losing his mother in childhood. There was also Shel’s failed marriage. That was something Bryant had watched happen with morbid fascination like watching two trains headed toward each other and knowing you couldn’t do anything to stop the wreck.

Bryant had felt a deeper affinity with Shel than normal. They had bonded out in the field in more of a way than he did with any other of his men. With Shel he felt he had that younger brother his parents never gave him. Now, Shel was going to be his brother through marriage; couldn’t get any closer than that. He stood in the shadows watching this bonded brother and wondered if he could do or say anything that would help lift the silent suffering he was going through. Before he could say anything or step forward out of the shadows, Shel spoke up.

You going to lurk in the shadows like a rat all day or come out and do some actual work? he asked.

Actually I was thinking more like talking, Bryant said as he stepped forward and picked up a nearby pitch fork and dug into the stable next to Shel’s. Shel was silent a moment.

It’s getting that obvious huh?

Sheldon says you’re getting grouchy, Bryant grunted as he tossed muck into the wheelbarrow. He did it with ease, it was the first job he had on the ranch when he was still blind. Now, you wouldn’t want your only nephew thinking you’re Oscar the Grouch?

Oscar the Grouch? Shel laughed despite his morose mood. I am glad I haven’t come over and found my former Captain sitting on the floor watching Sesame Street. That might wound me for life.

Shhhh, Bryant dramatically looked up and down the isle between the rows of stalls. Sheldon doesn’t want anybody to know he watches such sissy stuff. His mom doesn’t even know. Both men laughed.

I bet you would prefer nobody knew either, Shel laughed. It warmed his heart the way his name-sake and Bryant had bonded. He also knew that Bryant would enjoy watching such a show with his new six year old son. It was the kind of guy Bryant was. He proved that a real man could be sensitive and gentle. A real man can watch Sesame Street with his six year old stepson-to-be.

He knew Kelly still had reservations about a man being able to love another man’s child, but he had no doubt that Bryant couldn’t love this boy anymore if he was his own. Kelly’s fear came from the way she was raised with a sadistic, abusive man she grew up thinking was her father. Even now, the ghost of that fear would cross her eyes when she thought nobody was looking. But, Shel was looking.

He watched her closely from the beginning. First, it was out of distrust. Ever since his mom had left he’d had trouble trusting people, especially women. The one time he’d let his guard down with a woman, she’d proved him right in that distrust. Second, he watched Kelly out of confusion. Could she really be the real deal? He had always wanted a sibling but he’d never thought a full grown sister would pop up out of nowhere. Now, he watched for signs of that fear so he could help her get through it. Bryant was the one to let go of her fears in his own way. He truly loved that boy as much as he loved his mother. He recognized the fear inside of him was a fear of letting go. He was afraid that if he let go of his fears and mistrust of people he would get burned again. Kelly and Bryant had both faced that fear and had helped each other through it. He knew it was an irrational fear to think Bryant would betray Kelly or visa versa.

It’s not going to happen pal, Bryant’s gruff, yet somehow gentle voice broke through his thoughts as if he’d read them. Kelly, Sheldon and I are all here to stay.

I never told you how she left, did I?

I thought she just up and disappeared one day while you and Weldon were on a drive taking horses to a summer range. Bryant replied.

Shel laughed bitterly. Yeah, that along with the petty cash dad had left out for Rosa’s housekeeping. I replaced it immediately before dad found out. At least I think it was before he found out. He never mentioned it. Fortunately Rosa came to me about it before she went to dad. But, that isn’t the whole story.

There’s always more to the story, Bryant bit out as he tossed another fork of muck into the wheelbarrow. He and Shel were keeping pace with each other as they talked. Years of experience had taught them both how to work and talk at the same time. It was both a necessity and a need for companionship when out on a mission.

Shel knew that the complexity of a predatory woman was also something Bryant knew about. He had been engaged to one. Fortunately, she’d shown her true colors before Bryant had married her.

So, what is the rest of the story?

Shel stopped his mucking and leaned on his fork. Bryant followed suit and they stared at each other over the interconnecting wall of the two stalls.

She left a note,

I am guessing it wasn’t to say she was sorry?

Not quite, Shel snorted like the horse that usually resided in the stall. It was more to gloat over how she had sucked me in. I guess I made an easy mark.

So, she didn’t just stumble into you that night, Bryant made it sound like a question, but both he and Shel knew Bryant had all but told Shel the same thing at the time. Shel’s libido was in full swing at the time and, for once, didn’t listen to his friend. Shel just gave him a chagrinned look back.

Thanks for not saying ‘I told you so’, Shel intoned gruffly. Then they both broke out laughing. I learned the hard way that my Captain is always right.

Well, not always, Bryant chuckled, but most the time. Now, are you going to tell me what the letter said or do I have to guess?

I think you pretty much guessed it, Shel got serious again. You remember that lady, ah, Georgia, I believe her name was. I met her a couple weeks before I met Marianne.

The petite redhead with a round face, green eyes, perky nose, and luscious lips?

Yeah, that’s the one, Shel replied.

Nope, don’t recall her at all.

Shel shot him the look again. Bryant only cocked an eyebrow at him.

She was reconnaissance.

Wow, Bryant whistled. So, this was a grand scheme and you were the prey.

And Georgia was the info gatherer, Shel said bitterly. He gave Bryant a deeper look. Apparently you were on their radar also but dismissed as being too confident. They, I mean she, was looking for an easier mark. That would be me.

You mean they wanted somebody younger and less experienced, Bryant pointed out. That doesn’t make you an idiot, just easier to…

To manipulate you mean, Shel spat. Bryant chose not to answer that. Far as he was concerned everybody had to go through a baptism of fire to learn lessons. Most men had gone through the same lesson at one level or another. Shel had gone through a hotter fire and survived. Scarred, yes, but still a survivor.

So, what was her goal in hooking you?

I guess she thought hooking the son of a rich rancher would get her a posh apartment in the city while I was away, Shel replied venomously. And she did. She got a posh apartment and freedom while I was in Afghanistan. She said she used that freedom lavishly to entertain other easy marks. She only married me thinking I had a good chance of not returning from Afghanistan.

She was banking on your death benefits and inheritance. Bryant shook his head. That’s cold.

Unfortunately, I survived but came home less than whole and then, horrors of horrors, I moved her to my horribly isolated ranch, Shel laughed bitterly. Then, she found out that dad was the sole owner and had no plans to turn any of the ranch over to me in the near future. She tried to talk him into it, thinking she would talk me into selling my share and moving back to the city where she could take care of her invalid husband in style.

Yeesh, she’s really freezing now.

There’s more, Shel continued in a cold self-mocking tone. When she left, she put in the note that I had better not try and find her. She was going into hiding and if I tried to find her she would tell authorities she was hiding because she feared for her life. She said she would say I and my father had done horrible, unthinkable things to her.

And she thought she could back up those statements?

She mailed me photos a couple weeks later. Shel stopped to draw a deep breath. He was telling Bryant things he hadn’t even told his dad. The pain of betrayal was still there, deep and stabbing like a knife. It wasn’t in his heart anymore. She was no longer in his heart but the stabbing was in his gut, a deep twisting wound that was scarred over but not healed.

What kind of photos? Bryant asked though he had a sinking feeling he already knew.

She had somebody beat her up. Shel stopped talking for moment as even now he couldn’t believe the lengths she’d gone through to blackmail him. She thought I would pay her to burn them. I knew better and called her bluff. I answered back and told her to go ahead and turn in those photos. If she had medical records tying me into the beating then she could go ahead and sue me. Of course she couldn’t tie me into the beating medically, so she tried another tack. She wrote and said if I tried to divorce her she would make sure that the ranch was tied up in an ugly suit for years. She said she would wait and when I got my crippled ass killed by a horse she would collect my death benefits and any inheritance I had.

Man, Hell must be a very cold place, or will be when she arrives. Bryant couldn’t fathom the depth of this woman’s evil. She made Bryant’s former fiancée look like poster girl for sweetheart of the year. So what did you do to protect your father, ranch, and yourself from that?

I told dad her plans and he immediately changed his will to put the ranch in a trust that I would be in charge of, Shel replied proudly. She wouldn’t be able to touch the trust and I could draw a salary, a very comfortable salary, as the trustee of it. If anything happened to dad the ranch was safe, and so was I, and that took the target off dad’s back if she should think to do such a thing as try and get rid of him.

I got to hand it to your dad, he is one smart cookie. Bryant came out of his stall and stood in the entrance of Shel’s. So, you been hashing this over and that’s what’s been getting you down. This is all just you sitting on the pity pot.

Shel was going to deny it but saw the gleam in Bryant’s eye. He remembered this tactic Bryant used on the men if one ever got down while they were in the field. He refused to allow anybody to sit on what he called the pity pot. If the man denied being on the pity pot Bryant would harangue on the man till he either tried to fight back or admit to it and get off. Shel knew he might as well admit the truth now to save them both the trouble.

You could always read me, Captain, Shel said with a sly tone to his voice. The use of Bryant’s former title was more bait than respect. Bryant took the bait and before you knew it both men were rolling in the dirt of the isle. Other ranch hands who were nearby soon circled the men cheering on their favorite. It seemed that Bryant had as many on his side as Shel. The fight wasn’t a mean one or meant to hurt either man. It was a scrimmage meant to let off steam. They threw punches, kicks, and throws till finally they were both exhausted and landed on the ground together laughing with the good natured ribbing of the men around them.

Are you two finished? The deep gruff voice came from Weldon Shepard, Shel’s dad. The man tried to look mad at the two men covered in dirt at his feet, but the twinkle in his eye gave him away. He had no problem with his men and his son letting off steam, but he also had an image to uphold. He barely contained his grin as the two men scrambled to their feet.

It was just a good wrestle, Dad, Shel had the sense to sound contrite. It was all in good fun.

I see. There isn’t enough work around here to tire you out so you got to go picking fights with the hired help?

I didn’t pick a fight with Bryant, he started it! This brought on laughter by all those around including Weldon.

Dad’s always have a way of bringing out the ten year old in us don’t they, Bryant said in a stage whisper.

Okay men, Weldon raised his voice in a good natured but also no-nonsense tone, back to work.

Everybody scattered except Shel and Bryant who faced Weldon.

Dad, Shel started to explain when Weldon waved his hand to stop him.

I have no problem with a good old fashion brawl now and again, long as nobody gets hurt, but your sister would have your head on a platter if she caught you whaling on her husband-to-be, Weldon laughed as she slapped Shel hard on the shoulder. The young man nearly went sprawling in the dirt. Weldon knew his own strength and used it when need be. Weldon turned to Bryant who prudently moved an arms length out of the way. And Kelly would have your head on a platter also for whaling on her brother. The girl is protective of family you know, he