The Cowboy (32 page)

“Please don’t call me ma’am,” Callie’s mother said with a groan. “It makes me feel my age.”

“Sorry about that. Ren.” Trace set down the paring knife and pushed his chair back from the table. “I expect you know I plan to take Callie away from here.”

“I figured that out.”

“You don’t mind?”

She met his gaze, and Trace was startled by the piercing look he found in her gray-green eyes, “I want my daughter to be happy, Trace. Can you make her happy?”

“I’ll do my best, ma’am. Ren,” he corrected himself.

“Then I don’t mind at all.”

C
allie was astonished when Sam arrived at the breakfast table freshly shaven, his long hair neatly combed back into a ponytail, which he’d caught in a rubber band at his nape. “You look … wide awake,” she said cautiously, as she handed him a cup of hot coffee.

“I’m sober,” Sam said when he caught her checking his eyes for redness and his breath for alcohol.

Callie laughed nervously. “You must admit—”

“That’s not my normal condition,” Sam finished for her as he blew on the coffee and then sipped it. “But it’s a new day, Callie. I’m going to start doing my share around here.”

“What miracle caused this change?”

“Trace told me about the loan, Callie.”

Callie swore under her bream.

Sam glanced up at her, then back at his lifeless legs. “I’ve already figured out what he must have asked for in return. I just wish I were still man enough to do something about it.”

“Oh, Sam,” Callie said. “There’s so much you don’t know. So much I wish I could tell you.”

“Are you going to marry him?”

“Of course not!”

“Why not?”

“Well, for one thing, he hasn’t asked,” Callie said.
At least, not in so many words
.

“Would you marry him if he did ask?”

She laughed nervously. “That’s a ridiculous question.”

“I didn’t think so when I asked it,” Sam said. “Why won’t you marry him, Callie?”

“How many reasons do you need? You’re in a wheelchair, and his brother put you there. His father wants to steal Three Oaks away from us. He’s a Blackthorne, and I’m a Creed.”

Sam snorted. “If he’s good enough to sleep with, seems like he’d be good enough to marry.”

“Trace owns a cattle station in Australia, Sam. If I married him, I’d end up living on the other side of the world. Do you really think you and Mom and Luke can manage Three Oaks by yourselves and pay off Dad’s estate taxes, too?”

“We could give it a try.”

“And if you fail?”

“Then we’d lose the ranch.”

“That’s not an option I’m willing to consider,” Callie said. “Daddy would have wanted us to save Three Oaks, no matter what the cost. I know Mom thinks we’re fighting a losing battle. But there must have been lots of times over the past hundred and fifty years when things got tough, and no Creed has ever given up this land. They did what was necessary to persevere. Can we do any less?”

Callie was distracted by a knock on the kitchen door. “I’m not expecting anyone. Are you?”

“Yes,” Sam said, taking a big slurp of coffee and setting down his cup.

Callie didn’t recognize the pretty young woman at the door.

“I’m here to see Sam Creed,” she said.

“That’s me,” Sam said as he wheeled his chair over to the open door.

“What is this all about?” Callie asked, as Sam maneuvered his way through the kitchen door and onto the back porch.

“I’m about to take a driving lesson,” Sam said. “Compliments of your good friend Trace Blackthorne.”

Callie stared from the van parked in the morning shadows behind the house, to her brother, to the young woman standing on the back porch. “And you agreed to this?”

“Why wouldn’t I agree?” Sam said. “Especially if I’m going to do my part to save Three Oaks from Darth Vadar and the Evil Empire.”

“Don’t make jokes. This is serious.”

“I’m on your side, Callie. Trace said some things last night that started me thinking. I realize now that I should have insisted on getting wheels a lot sooner. I made myself a burden on you and—”

“Oh, Sam, no,” Callie cried.

“Stuff it, Callie. The truth is the truth.” He turned to the young woman and said, “I’m assuming this vehicle has some mechanism for getting me into the driver’s seat, since you don’t look big enough to lift me up there.”

She smiled back at him and said, “Absolutely.”

Sam turned to Callie and said, “I think I can take it from here. You’d better get breakfast on the table before the hungry horde gets downstairs.”

Callie closed the door and stared out the kitchen window at Sam, who was deftly maneuvered into the van. She
waved goodbye, then crossed to pour herself another cup of coffee. Sam sober. Sam driving. Sam anxious to do his share of the work. It was a great deal to absorb in one morning.

She wasn’t given much time to think about it, because a moment later Eli and Hannah came trooping downstairs. Luke wasn’t far behind.

“Where’s Mom?” Callie asked her brother.

“She’s already up and gone.”

“Gone? Gone where?” Callie asked.

“Out to the stable,” Luke answered.

“What for?”

“I’m hungry, Mommy,” Hannah said, tugging on Callie’s sleeve.

“In a minute, Hannah. What’s Mom doing at the stable?” Callie asked.

“Working with the cutting horses.”

Callie gaped. “Mom? Is exercising horses?”

Luke grabbed a slice of cinnamon toast from the plate on the counter and handed it to Hannah. “Yep.”

Luke settled Hannah in her chair and said to Eli, “Bring that bowl of scrambled eggs over to the table.” He reached around Callie, who was still standing rigid in the middle of the kitchen, for the platter of fried ham.

Callie stared at her helpful brother in disbelief. “What’s gotten into everybody?” she wondered aloud.

“Trace said I could start earning the money for a motorcycle by working for him in the afternoon, if I helped you out with Eli and Hannah in the morning.”

While Callie was still reeling at Luke’s announcement, there was another knock on the door. She beat Luke to the
door and opened it to find an elderly Mexican woman standing on the doorstep.

“
Buenos días
, Señora Monroe. I’m Rosalita’s younger sister, Gloriana. Senor Trace asked me to come today and take care of your beautiful daughter.”

Callie was too stunned to move. Luke slipped an arm around her waist and drew her back out of the doorway as he ushered Gloriana inside.

Trace was right behind the Mexican woman.

“What’s going on?” Callie asked when she saw him. “I don’t recognize my family. It seems you’ve waved a magic wand and turned them all into strangers.”

“Why don’t we take a walk?” Trace suggested. “We can talk and watch the sunrise.”

“The sun’s been up for an hour.”

“Then we’ll look at the clouds. You boys better make a run for the bus,” Trace said to Luke and Eli. “Be good and mind Gloriana,” he said to Hannah, as he urged Callie out the kitchen door and closed it behind them.

“What’s going on?” Callie asked, as Trace led her away from the house.

He turned her to face him and gently kissed her on the mouth. “I wanted you to myself for the day, so I manipulated things a little bit to arrange it.”

“A little bit?”

“Well, maybe a lot. Forgive me?”

Callie thought she probably ought to thank him, but she couldn’t make herself say the words. She settled for, “I suppose.”

“Beautiful clouds this morning,” he murmured, as he kissed her eyes closed. “Come on, Callie. Spend the day with me. Just the two of us. It’ll be fun.”

“What did you have in mind?” she murmured, as he kissed his way down her throat.

“I don’t know. What would you like to do?”

“My family needs me here.”

“I need you, too, Callie. Will you come and play with me?”

Callie surprised herself. She said yes.

Trace took her to his cabin. He said he wanted to pick up a book to read, if they were going to spend a lazy day sitting under the trees, staring at the clouds going by. But when she followed him into the bedroom, he leaned over to kiss her on the neck, and her hand slid down his hip.

They didn’t come up for air till it was dark.

When Callie got home, the house was quiet, and she found her mother sitting in a chair in front of the fireplace knitting.

Callie blushed as she remembered what she and Trace had done in the wing chair in front of his fireplace.

“Did you have a good time?” her mother asked.

“Yes, I did,” Callie replied.

“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself,” her mother said with a smile. “You look rested.”

Callie didn’t see how that was possible. She’d been engaged in vigorous exercise all day. “I curled up for a little while and took a nap.” That was true. She’d fallen asleep after they’d made love for the second time.

“Come sit by me,” her mother said.

Callie dropped to the floor at her mother’s knee. The clack of the knitting needles was familiar and reassuring. Her glance slid to the empty chair that had so recently been occupied by her father. The world had turned. Their lives had changed.

“How was your day?” Callie asked her mother.

“I spent most of it on horseback,” her mother replied.

“How did it go?”

The clacking stopped. “I’d forgotten how exciting it is to ride a cutting horse,” her mother said. “I enjoyed myself immensely, though I expect I’ll pay for it tomorrow. I’m not used to spending so much time in the saddle.”

“You don’t have to do this, Mom.”

“But I want to, Callie. I thought I’d forgotten everything I knew. I surprised myself by how much I remember.”

“I’m glad,” Callie said.

The knitting needles began to clack again. “You should go with him,” her mother said.

“I’m afraid you’ll sell once I’m gone,” Callie admitted, as she stared into the fire.

“I’d never sell unless I had to.”

Callie looked up at her mother and said, “I’d never sell at all. I can’t leave until I’m sure Three Oaks is safe, Mom.”

“Trace won’t wait for you forever.”

Callie felt an ache in her chest. “I know, Mom. I know.”

C
allie hadn’t planned to have a party to celebrate Eli’s eleventh birthday, because she didn’t want Trace counting days on the calendar. She felt guilty that she hadn’t told him about his son, but she was certain that if Trace knew the truth, he would insist on taking Eli with him to Australia. So she’d intended to observe Eli’s birthday without a great deal of fanfare.

But Lou Ann had called to say she wanted to host a birthday party for Eli so Dusty would have a chance to practice with his new prosthetic leg around friends, and went on and on about how self-conscious Dusty felt wearing the artificial limb, until Callie didn’t have the heart to refuse.

Eli was delighted at the prospect of all the presents he’d receive, all the games he’d get to play, and all the cake and ice cream he’d get to eat. Callie helped him make a list of the friends he wanted to invite.

“Is Trace coming?” Eli asked when they were done.

“Do you want to invite him?” Callie asked.

Eli doodled on the paper in front of him. “He’s kind of bossy.”

“I think orders come naturally to the ramrod of a big outfit,” she said.

“Trace isn’t the boss of us,” Eli pointed out.

“True,” Callie conceded. “But I think he means well, don’t you?”

Eli gave a noncommittal shrug. “I guess.”

“You don’t have to invite him,” Callie said. In fact, that would be the perfect excuse to exclude Trace.
It’s Eli’s party, and I’m sorry, but you’re not invited
.

“It might hurt his feelings if I don’t,” Eli said, nervously flicking his pencil against the kitchen table.

Callie was surprised. Her belligerent son concerned about someone else’s feelings?
About his own father’s feelings?
Callie let out a careful breath.

“It’s your party, Eli,” she said. “What do you say?” Callie wasn’t sure what answer she wanted from Eli. Trace would probably be hurt—or at least feel piqued—if Eli excluded him, but it was the safe move.

She was terrified that Trace would suddenly wake up and see all the ways Eli was like him. How Eli shoved the hair off his brow with the same thrust of his hand, or how father and son both rubbed their chins when they were thinking. Or how much Eli’s features resembled Trace’s. Except for his eyes.
He has your eyes, Callie
.

“Aw. Let him come,” Eli said at last. “I guess one more won’t hurt.”

Callie prayed he was right.

By the time dawn arrived on the surprisingly warm, late October morning of Eli’s birthday, Callie was wishing she hadn’t given in to Lou Ann’s plea. She’d been up all night with a colicky horse, but with the Futurity little more than a month away, she didn’t dare neglect her workouts with Sugar Pep and Smart Little Doc.

She tried to keep herself focused on what she was doing, but Smart Little Doc was smart enough to catch her dozing, and took advantage of her inattention to set her down in the sand.

Callie looked up at the horse, who came over to nuzzle her and snort a horse laugh. “Very funny,” she said. “I hope you don’t plan to do that at the Futurity.”

Smart Little Doc flicked his ears forward and back and whickered a reproof.

“All right. It was my fault. I won’t let it happen again.”

When Callie got back to the house, she discovered her mother had already taken Hannah and left to help Lou Ann decorate for the party. Once she was showered and had put on clean jeans, a white shirt with a string tie, and a leather vest, she knocked on Sam’s door.

When he answered, she asked, “Can you give me a ride over to Lou Ann’s?”

Sam grinned at her. “You trust my driving?”

“No, but I’m desperate. The truck was acting up this morning.”

“I’m ready when you are,” Sam said.

Callie was amazed at how adept Sam was at managing the van. “You really are a good driver,” she said in amazement.

“Don’t act so surprised. I drove plenty before I got hurt.”

“I guess you did.”

“Did Trace tell you he’s having ramps and bathroom rails installed in the foreman’s house, so I can live there?” Sam said, as he maneuvered the van into a narrow parking spot behind Dusty and Lou Ann’s house.