The Last Cowboy In Texas (23 page)

Ozzie humphed. “Not our Paige. That little lady’s got a temper, let me tell you.”

“As I well know, Ozzie. So, what do we do now?”

“We wait. It may be a week, a month, or longer.”

“I can’t stand thinking we may never see or hear from her again.”

“
Troy
, get ahold of yourself. She’ll resurface when she’s ready. Cil and I have a peace about that.”

Troy
stared out his window as Missy Coward walked past the office. “How about her friends? Missy and Aggie might have heard from her.”

“I doubt it. You might want to check with them, but I have a notion she’s cut herself off totally from all of us for now.”

“Missy just went by. I’m going to catch up to her and see what she knows. I’ll call you back if I hear anything.” He dropped the phone into its cradle and raced outside, in time to see Missy go into the coffee shop.

She was still at the counter when he went in. “Hey, Missy, how goes it?”

She turned to him and smiled. “Great, Troy. Did you hear, Tom and I are getting married.”

“Wow, that’s great. We thought that might be in the works, but I hadn’t heard the official word. Did you tell Paige?”

Missy’s face went sallow. “No. I’ve tried to call her but her phone must be off or something. Do you know where she is?”

“Not a clue. I was hoping she’d said something to you. Her folks don’t know, either.”

“Wow! That’s not like my best friend in the world. You don’t think she got abducted or something, do you?”

“No. She’s just really ticked off at us. Took off without saying a word. Where she went is anybody’s guess.”

Missy’s face blossomed into a smile. “Maybe not…”

He waited, but when she didn’t continue, he asked, “Maybe not what?”

 
“Anybody’s guess. I remember she talked to me one time about a writing retreat, I think that’s what she called it. Some place where a couple of writers gave instruction and help in writing novels.”

“Really?” Could it be that simple? Could she have just gone off to a quiet spot where she could get help writing the books she’s responsible for? “I hope you’re right. Did she say where this retreat thing is located?”

“No, but it must be some place south. I remember her saying it was warm there most of the year.” She giggled. “A place where she could sit out in a bikini and daydream about her characters.”

That brought a smile to
Troy
’s face. “She does love those little bits of nothing she wears at the lake, doesn’t she?”

“Yeah. And with her figure, she looks darn good in them, let me tell you.”

“Well, truth told, you’re no slouch in a bikini, Missy.”

She actually blushed. “Thanks. I guess. You mean you really noticed me when Paige was around?”

“Oh, yeah. Hey, we already covered that stuff. Remember the night when Paige saw us at dinner and left in a huff?”

“How could I forget? That’s Paige. When she gets steamed, she might as well be a runaway train.”

“Well, she’s a runaway something. Hopefully, she’ll let off all that steam and come back. Or at least let us know where she is and that she’s okay.”

“I hope. Well, my coffee’s waiting. Want to join me?”

“Nope. I gotta get back to work. Missy? If Paige does call, will you let me know?”

“I sure will,
Troy
. And you do the same.”

“Of course. Well, see you later, Missy.”

He headed back to his office, wondering when he’d be able to talk to Aggie and JT. They were still on their honeymoon. Where, he knew not, and he wouldn’t disturb them in any event. Hopefully, they’d be back soon.

* * *

Paige awoke, feeling refreshed and alive, ready to get to work. Her next thought about work brought her up short. She’d not even considered the spot she’d put her dad in. Who would handle the myriad tasks she performed at the paper? Just as guilt made itself felt, she had another thought. Her dad had done it all before she came home to help out. He’d know what to do and how to do it.

I’m free as a bird! I can forget all that stuff and concentrate on my writing.

As she pulled her jeans on, she glanced out the second floor window. Five people could be seen going past the boathouse on horseback. Where had the horses come from? On closer examination, she recognized the Werners as two of the five. The others must be those writers Marybeth had mentioned. The lady had mentioned nothing of horses or other activities but she’d just arrived and had no clue about the normal routine here.

After finishing off the bag of mini-chocolate chip cookies she’d bought on the way, she took her laptop out of its case and set it on the table. Then she pulled out the spiral notebook that contained her unfinished book and opened it to where she’d stopped. It only took a glance for her to recall the scene and begin writing.

When she came up for air, she glanced at her watch. It was nearly noon and she hadn’t eaten anything other than those little cookies. She’d started down the stairs when Marybeth came into the lower room and called for her. “I’m coming down, Marybeth.”

“Good thing, darlin’. Lunch is ready and this bunch leaves less than ants at a picnic. Better hurry on over if you want some grub.”

“Grub doesn’t sound so good.”

Marybeth laughed. “That’s just our way of talkin’. Will’s got the best doggone chili you ever tasted made up, so better get a move on and grab some.”

Paige turned the corner to see Marybeth waiting for her. “Okay, let’s go. I’m famished. I forgot all about breakfast.”

“You get some writin’ done this AM?”

“I did. Actually, I jumped right into the scene I’d started two weeks ago like it was yesterday.”

“Happens with me sometimes. Sometimes not.” She stared at Paige. “Two weeks?”

“Yes. My writing had gotten sidetracked. I was maid of honor for a friend who got married this week. And there were other issues that took me away from my writing, too.” A blink and she continued, “But now that’s all water under the bridge, so I can concentrate on my book.”

“Good. Well, we best concentrate on getting’ to the dinner table. The others are already there so you’ll get a chance to meet them now.”

“Were they the ones who went horseback riding with you this morning?”

“Yep. So you saw us, did you?”

“I’d just woke up when you went by. Those horses yours?”

“They are. Our neighbors rent us space to keep them over there. I write western historicals and havin’ the horses helps keeps me in tune with the world I write about. Hard to be a true Texan and not abide horses.”

“I’ll bet. They looked magnificent.”

“You ever ride a horse up in
Missouri
?”

“Oh, yeah. When I was younger, I had a few friends whose families raised horses. So, yes, I got to ride a lot. Not in recent years, though.”

“Well, you’ll get a chance down here if you like to do it. We take a mornin’ ride two or three times a week. Tends to settle us down and it’s kind of humanizin’, too.”

Paige chuckled. “That’s interesting. You ride horses to be more human.”

“Enough talk, young lady. Let’s eat.”

“I’m with you on that.”

Paige followed her new mentor into the kitchen to find a huge rustic table surrounded by the others she’d seen earlier, along with a couple of men she’d not seen before. Will jumped to his feet to introduce her to the group.

“Okay, ya’ll. This little gal here is Paige Turner. Now stop all that jawin’ before you embarrass yourselves. That’s her real name, one her mom and daddy gave her ‘cause they were writers. Paige is from, well, maybe I’d best let her tell you that herself. She’s goin’ to be with us while she finishes the fourth book of a contracted series of historical romances.”

One of the men got up. “Hi, Paige. I’m Ted Young. You already have four contracts? That’s amazing!”

Paige said, “Nice to meet you, Ted. It’s a long story, but in a nutshell that’s why I’m here. I have three of them finished except for some major editing. The fourth is underway and I have to finish it now.”

A young black woman got to her feet to reach across and shake Paige’s hand. “I’m Kasha, and I write horror, but I’ve always wanted to write regency. Maybe we can get together some time and you can help me with it.”

“I’d be glad to, but I’m not sure how much help I can be.”

The third resident, sitting beside her, reached up to shake hands. “My name is Peggy and I’m from
Kansas City
. You’re from
Missouri
, too?”

“I am. A little town near Branson. Nice to meet you and Kasha, Peggy.”

Will said, “Have a seat, Paige, and I’ll serve up a bowl of chili the likes of which I bet you never tasted.”

“I’m ready.”

Will didn’t have to bother as Marybeth had done the honors during the introductions. As she placed the steaming bowl in front of Paige, the other two men spoke up. One was Curly, the horses’ trainer, and the other was the neighbor’s son named Burl, who raised horses for a living. They were as friendly as the rest of the group. All in all, Paige felt more comfortable in this setting than she’d felt at home for years.

One bite of Will’s chili and Paige’s hand shot out for her water glass. “Yow! This stuff is hot!” They all laughed at her painful expression. “Okay, you guys. Who put the hot pepper sauce in my bowl?”

Marybeth said, “Nobody, darlin’. That’s the way we eat it down here. Don’t you like it?”

In the interim, her taste buds had recovered enough that she didn’t answer right away. As she chewed, she realized how good it tasted once you got past the immediate heat. “Well, I’ll have to give it another bite. Maybe a smaller one, now I know how hot it is.” She spooned another bite and savored it. “Yes, I like it.”

All the others laughed with her and went back to eating theirs. She finished the bowl and surprised herself by asking for a second helping. Marybeth was right; it was the best doggone chili she’d ever tasted. “Will ought to can this stuff and sell it on the open market. He’d be an instant hit.”

Will’s face flamed. “Glad you like it, now you’re used to it, Paige. But this is the kind of recipe that don’t suit itself to commercial production. Besides, I like to vary it a bit from batch to batch. Anyhoo, you like crackers with your chili?”

“No. We sometimes add corn chips to it, but I avoid most of that salty stuff.”

After they finished eating, she followed the routine of the others and gathered up her bowl and tableware, taking them over to the sink, where Kasha and Peggy took their turn at washing them. She learned that she would be on a rotating schedule with Ted, now that they had an equal number. So, the Werners provided the food and cooked it, and the residents took turns keeping the kitchen clean.
Fair enough.

Another surprise awaited her. There were eight slices of apple pie served up on disposable plates. They all grabbed a piece and headed outside to eat the dessert. The men settled around one table and the women gravitated to the other except for Marybeth, who had gone back inside to get a big coffee pot and Styrofoam cups.

Paige took hers with thanks and settled onto the bench as the other girls sat on either side of her. “This is wonderful. Do we eat like this every day?”

“Except when it’s raining. Then, we stay inside for dessert,” Kasha told her.

“Does it rain often?”

Peggy laughed. “Not lately. They’ve been in kind of a drought down here this year.”

Paige replied, “Well, my writing has been in a drought of its own lately. I’m looking forward to getting some serious work done.” Draining her cup, she got up and excused herself. “I’ll see you guys at dinner. Got to get back to work.”

As she walked away, she heard a buzz going between the tables, and knew she was the topic of conversation. It didn’t bother her, knowing it was no doubt her contracts they were discussing, and nothing personal. Well, maybe they were sharing a joke or two about her reaction to Will’s chili. She smiled, remembering the surprise of instant heat, followed by a series of pleasant secondary taste sensations. The man was definitely a chef who knew his seasonings.