Holding On (Wildcreek Ranch Series Book 3)

Prologue

Gorgeous, hazel-eyed Rihanna Claire Wilson  was a go-getter with an indomitable spirit but a romantic heart. Working as a primary school teacher at the nearby Bloomingdale Elementary School, she was already a hot favorite amongst not only the students but also her fellow teachers.

"Anna, come home early today. We'll celebrate Rhett and Rex's birthday at lunch. They'd be off to Helena afterwards," said her granny Jenny Wilson. Her older siblings, Rhett and Rex were twins and turning twenty-eight, both were two years older than her. While Rhett was married to her best friend Adelaide, Rex was trying to recover from the heartbreak. He was separated from his fiancée Ember as a result of some misunderstanding between them.

"Not possible today, granny. It's the first day of this term and we'll be having a staff meeting with the trustees today, after the school hours," said Rihanna. Granny didn't argue. She knew how much this meant for her. "I've wished them and given them a wrist watch each. They were so excited just like little kids," said Rihanna with a chuckle.

"They might be turning twenty-eight, but they still love getting gifts, especially from you'll, " said her mom, Ruth Wilson, looking indulgently at Rihanna and Adelaide. "See if you can manage, Anna, " coaxed her mom.

"Okay, I'll try," said Rihanna, walking out to her car. Within two minutes she drove out of her family home, Wildcreek Ranch, driving towards her school. It had been four years since she had been working there and she loved all the kids.  Teaching them made her feel alive, made her feel like she was doing something for her hometown, Fordsville which had given her so much. Fordsville was a small town just a fifteen minutes drive away from Great Falls, Montana. His granddad, Joe Wilson's ranch was located at the far edge of Fordsville in the heart of the Rocky Mountains at the base of the Continental Divide. It was a picturesque place surrounded by mountains, fields and forests with a clear sparkling river, Bearhead Creek running through it. 

She loved the fresh air and the feel of this place where she had spent the last twenty-six years of her life. Unlike her family members who all joined their family business, Rihanna had always wanted to be an elementary school teacher and therefore had completed her graduation in Early Childhood Education and Child Services.

Her family was the biggest dairy producers in the vicinity. They were also into horse rearing and sales. Rex, Rhett along with their dad, Keith Wilson trained the horses thoroughly before selling. Their dad's older brother, Kevin Wilson had just retired from the manual work and preferred the accounts work instead. Their dad's younger brothers, uncle Kendrick and uncle Kennedy looked into the animal husbandry part of their business as well as into the packaging of dairy products. Uncle Kendrick's wife, aunt Helen was a vet and she kept a check upon all the animals on their farm and ranch. Their sons, Ryan and Ryder who were three years younger to Rihanna and helped too.

She parked the car in the school parking area and walked towards the staff room. It was going to be a very hectic day indeed with lots of work, after all it was the first day of a new session.

However the sound of a loud wailing disturbed her reverie and she looked up to see a little boy of around six, howling his lungs out while a man wearing a huge stetson covering half his face was carrying him against his will towards his classroom. Rihanna rolled her eyes. How some parents fail to inculcate good manners in their children was beyond her! It was clear that the man needed help with the impossible boy.

"No, I won't go to school uncle Hunt," the boy yelled, struggling to get free.

"Robbie, stop it at once. You're making me very sad," said the man in his rich baritone voice as they walked closer. Suddenly his grey eyes fell upon Rihanna and he stilled. Fixing his stetson with one hand his grey eyes met with her hazel ones and held her gaze. It was as if time stood still for a moment or two.

Rihanna forgot to breathe. This man was the hottest specimen on earth. His ripped body was clearly visible through the thin material of his black tee shirt. His biceps flexed as he steadied a struggling six year old on his shoulders as if he weighed nothing. Her mind started running away as sinful thoughts started creeping into her head. How would it to be carried by this gorgeous specimen? How would it feel to switch places with that little boy?

"Dreaming miss? Should you not offer to help me instead?" Asked the man in an amused tone. Rihanna couldn't help the flush from creeping up her neck to her cheeks. This was so embarrassing! How could she be standing and checking him out instead of going to take a class? She chided herself mentally for behaving like a horny high school girl instead of a twenty-six year old, mature teacher.

"Help yourself, " she told him, walking away towards the school building without giving them a backward glance. Rude uncle of a spoiled child! She had too much work on her head and didn't need to waste time with a brat and his hot uncle.

She walked into her classroom full of little first graders, all looking at her with apprehension and curiosity. She introduced herself, being her usual sweet self, after all this was what she had been doing every day for the last four years. It was her life, her commitment towards her profession. However after the initial introduction was over, her eyes were drawn towards a small boy who sat nearly hiding himself behind his table. She recognized him instantly. It was the boy from the parking lot. He didn't look up at anyone, being lost in himself, staring at his hands and trying to hide. There were dried tears on his cheeks. He didn't look like a spoilt brat at all contrary to her first impression of him. Rihanna knew instantly knew from her experience that he was disturbed and needed help.
However she felt that it would be better to let him settle down a little before approaching him separately. She taught like always did, with lots of actions and songs and little crafts and games to get the children excited enough to participate. While the whole class instantly got involved, the little boy didn't even look at her. He sat lost in his own world.

It was break time and while everyone sat down to eat from their colorful lunch boxes, the little boy sat dazed as drops of tears fell from his eyes. Rihanna slowly got up and walked towards him. She dragged a chair and sat beside him.

"Hello dear. Do you know who I am?" She cooed in a sweet and friendly voice. No response.

"I'm Anna, I'm your teacher, your friend," she said gently. "And I'm sad too. Do you know why?" She asked. No response.

"I'm sad because I don't have any friends. Will you be my friend?" She asked, hopefully. No response.

She remembered the name his uncle had called him by in the morning. Robbie. So she again tried. "Okay then. Anna and Robbie stay hungry today. Now I'm more sad. It's my brothers' happy birthday, you know and I can't go home," she said.

"Why?" Asked a small and curious voice of Robbie. Rihanna looked at him with a pout.

"I have work so my brothers will have to celebrate their birthday without me," said Rihanna.

"My brother's dead," said the little boy as he sat fidgeting with his lunchbox. Rihanna froze at his words. She couldn't say a single thing after that information he gave out. His brother was dead? But how? Was that the reason why he was disturbed?

"Maybe God needed him, Robbie. So he's helping God do some good work," she explained. She opened his lunch box and placed it in front of him.

"Why did God need my whole family?" He asked agitatedly. Rihanna couldn't face him anymore. She couldn't control the tears anymore after hearing his words. Did he lose his whole family? She had to find out. She it up to calm herself, gulping some water and then walking back to Robbie, who sat watching her for the first time.

"Maybe because they're the best in the world. We could go to the chapel and ask God. Okay? But let's eat something first to get a little stronger," she coaxed, picking up his bread and jam and feeding him. In the past she had always encouraged her students to eat on their own but this child was different. If she didn't help him, he would go hungry and fall sick. She told him a story of how a bunch of wolves had saved a small boy in the jungle and brought him up as their own. Soon Robbie's lunchbox was empty and lunch time was over.

Soon classes resumed and at last it was time to go home.