The Last Cowboy In Texas (27 page)

As he was getting out of the Charger, a middle aged woman stepped out to greet him. He said, “Hello. I’m looking for the Werners.”

She answered, “Well, you just found one of ‘em. I’m Marybeth. You a writer?”

“No. Just in love with one. I saw Paige pulling out of here a minute ago.”

Marybeth cackled. “You must be Troy Roberts.”

“You know my name?”

“Yep. That little missy talks ‘bout you all the time. She’s tried to tell me she’s over you, but I know better. Your bein’ here tells me you ain’t over her either.”

“Not by a long shot. Since you seem to know so much about us, I’ll tell you why I came down here. Her folks and I did her wrong, and I want to find a way to apologize. She’s a fiery kind of gal, so it won’t be easy.”

“I don’t know her all that well yet, but that squares with what I do know. Also, the other thing I do know is, she’s still wearin’ that fancy ring you got her, though its on the wrong hand now.”

“That’s a good sign. I was afraid she’d thrown it away. I don’t care about the cost of it, but it was very special to both of us and I’m just glad she still has it. Now I need a way to add another ring to the one she’s wearing.”

“Hot dog! I think I hear weddin’ bells clangin’ away. Well,
Troy
, let’s go in and sit over a cup of coffee. We can scheme somethin’ up that’ll work, I bet.”

“Will Paige be gone long?”

“A couple hours, at least. She’s gone shoppin’ for some more clothes ‘n what she brought with her.”

He laughed. “Knowing her, she’ll take half the day for that. Too bad Missy isn’t here. The two of them go for daylong shopping jaunts.”

“Well, I figure we got plenty a time. Come on in,
Troy
.”

They sat across from one another, with Marybeth studying his face. He said, “You seem to have something to say. Go ahead and get it out, Marybeth.”

“I like you, young man. Don’t know much about you yet, but I’d say Paige made a good choice in you.”

“Thanks for the endorsement. I’ll need that and more before she’ll even talk to me again, I’m sure. I have kind of an idea how to get her to keep from blowing up when we see each other first time, eye to eye. I understand you all have horses down here.”

“How’d you know that?”

“Josie Walker told me.”

She stared at him. “You not bein’ from these parts, how do you know that little blonde firecracker?”

He laughed again. “I had dinner at the café where she waits tables.”

She joined in his laughter. “Well, that’s another endorsement for you,
Troy
. She don’t take to just anybody sits at her tables. Been known to use that sharp tongue of hers to cut smartalecs to pieces.”

“I can see her doing that, but we got along fine. She told me about Curly and Burl, and how they handle your horses. You happen to have a white one?”

“A white horse? As a matter of fact, we do. Why?”

He’d decided he could trust this lady with the truth so he said, “A long time ago, Paige told me something she repeated in a voice message after she disappeared. It gave me a clue to what I have in mind.”

“So what was it she said, makes you think you need a white horse?”

“She told me she wouldn’t sleep with me if I was the last cowboy in
Texas
. I plan to show up as just that.”

“Last cowboy in
Texas
? I don’t get it.”

“I’ll buy a cowboy suit in town, and come out here. If your boys will help, I can ride up on that white horse. She’ll be so surprised, she’ll keep her mouth shut for a change. Long enough for me to say my piece with her.”

Marybeth guffawed and slapped her thigh. “Ha, ha. That would work, but ‘round these parts we call it a getup, not a suit. Only thing, you ever sit a horse before?”

“Yeah. Paige and I used to go horseback riding when we were kids.”

“You two ever do any other kind of horsin’ ‘round?”

He felt his face go hot. “Yeah. Kinda.”

“Kinda? That don’t sound like the man Paige told me about. From what she said, you could have set up your own stud farm and charged a thoroughbred fee.”

That got him totally flustered. How much of his past had that little vixen divulged? “I’m embarrassed, if you must know. I mean, I was on my own for ten long damn years waiting for her to get off her high horse. What was I supposed to do, shave my head and join a monastery?”

“No,
Troy
. Damn it, I’m sorry. I’m also a writer and I understand about sowin’ wild oats and such. Please forgive this nosy old woman’s flappin’ tongue.”

“For what it’s worth, I didn’t sow much of a crop in all that time. Problem is, I let rumors fly, hoping that would get her to come around. Didn’t work.”

She reached across the table to take his hand in hers. “Well, our little gal loves you, sure as shootin’. Let’s get this done so the two of you can have some kids to worry about as you get old and gray.”

Her eyes were sincere as they locked on his. He squeezed her hand, saying, “For what it’s worth, you’re not old and gray. But you are old enough and wise enough, I’m glad she found you. Now I’ve got to get to town and buy me some of those cowboy getup duds. I know what I want, but I’ll have to avoid Paige while I’m in town.”

“You can try the Tyler Tack Shop. They’re way on the south side of town and I doubt Paige’ll wander down there today. She went to the Mall, lookin’ for jeans and shirts.”

When
Troy
went back outside, the rain had let up and the sun was trying for a grand entrance. Things were looking up on the inside, too, as he contemplated what was to come in the next day or two.

Chapter Seventeen

Paige turned off the windshield wipers as the sun played peek-a-boo with the town below. It was her first day away from the Werners and she hoped to be able to scout this
Texas city
out. As pleased as she was with her productive week, the idea of settling here seemed more likely than she would have thought possible. She’d lived in
Columbia
for her college years, but she was still a small town girl at heart.

Tyler
was somewhat smaller than
Columbia
, but it was way larger than
Flanders
. Maybe bigger than Branson, but with a
Texas
flair, as far as she could tell. She found the Mall, a bit surprised that it wasn’t one of the huge rambling monstrosities she was used to. It did have a generous number of national franchises, though, and her credit cards would help her conserve the dwindling stack of greenbacks in her purse.

After loading her arms with several pairs of jeans and a dozen shirts and tees, and a new bikini, she headed out into the bright sunlight that had reclaimed the landscape. The world was looking good. Now to find a place for some good food. Will was a fantastic cook, but his food tilted toward hot stuff her stomach was not prepared for. Maybe some good old-fashioned fried chicken would do the trick.

She pulled into the lot of an east
Tyler
café, just what she was looking for. Inside, she took a place at a back corner table, happy to get a seat in the crowded restaurant. Lots of church goers apparently made this their after services place of choice. A pretty blonde came to wait on her. She looked at the girl, recognizing her face, but unsure from where.

“Hi, Paige. Here’s your menu. What would you like to drink?”

“You know my name?”

“Yep. Met you the other day.”

“Oh, yes. You went riding with us, didn’t you?” Paige recalled the horse ride. “I’m surprised you remembered my name, though.”

The girl’s eyes twinkled with merriment. “Oh, I remember, all right. Girl as purty as you ‘round my boys, I remember you, all right.”

“Your boys? You mean Curly and Burl?”

“Yep.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry about me being competition for them.”

“I know. Now. You look at the menu yet?”

“No, but I already know what I want. Your fried chicken dinner, with iced tea. And no dessert. I love pie, but the Werners have fed me so well, I’m gaining weight.”

“You don’t wanta do that. ‘Specially now.”

What was it with this girl and the way she kept saying now? “I’m sorry but I can’t remember your name.”

“Josie Walker. Let me get your order in. Chicken goes fast on Sundays, ‘specially the breasts. You do like white meat, don’t you?”

“Yes. I like it all, Josie.”

As the waitress departed, her mind went to work on why she seemed to think in such familiar terms. Blessed with a creative imagination, Paige found meaning where there was none. Still, she sensed this girl knew something more about her than what she could have learned on that short horseback ride.

* * *

By one o’clock,
Troy
had his cowboy getup in the trunk of the car, right down to the ten gallon Stetson he’d wanted. He was famished and headed for Josie’s café. A pleasant meal, hopefully with more enjoyable chit-chat with the girl as he ate, would be great.

He pulled into the far corner of the crowded lot when he spied Paige’s Volvo sitting two spaces over.
Damn. She’s eating here.
The thought occurred that she might well be talking to the girl who could give his scheme away before he could pull it off. He pulled out and headed for a fast food place down the street a dozen blocks, his mood dampened by worry that Josie would give his presence away.

He ordered by way of the drive-through and took his sandwich back to a parking space where he could see Paige when she left the café. His patience was rewarded fifteen minutes later when she exited the café and drove off, apparently headed back to WWR. He pulled into the lot and went in.

The dinner rush was over and Josie was clearing tables. She and the other waitresses had lots to do, with most of the tables laden with plates, cups, and glasses. He waited for his new friend to clear a table and sat down.

“You hungry,
Troy
? I think we’re outta chicken, but there’s other stuff.”

“No, I already ate. Bring me a piece of that good apple pie, if you have any left, and a cup of coffee. That’ll do me just fine.”

“You see your girlfriend? She was just here.”

“Really? You mean Paige?”

“Yep. Don’t tell me she ain’t your only sweetie.”

“I won’t, because she is. Did my name come up when you waited on her?”

“What makes you think I’s the one waited her table?”

“Instinct. Instinct and fate. Fate seems to intervene whenever I try to do something right where Paige is concerned. Did you?”

She nodded. “I didn’t say a word ‘bout you. I may be blonde, but I’m not dumb.”

“No you’re not, my friend. Sorry if I sounded like a wounded bear just then. I was afraid she’d find out I’m here and disappear again.”

“Again? So, she’s runnin’ away from you?”

“Not really from me. From her past, and her folks. And me, too, I guess.”

Josie shook her head. “Sounds way too complicated fer me. I’ll get your pie.”

As she went behind the swinging doors,
Troy
gave a silent prayer that she’d not let the cat out of the bag. It would be tough enough to pull off this little stunt as it was. After he finished the pie, he went out into the sunny day. The rain, such as it had been, was over and the afternoon promised to be a hot one. Hot and steamy.

He returned to the motel and took his new clothes inside. Time to try the new duds on to see that they fit without looking too hokey. Clean-cut cowboy was what he was after. The outfit fit perfectly, right down to the pearl button shirt. When he put the Stetson on, he looked into the mirror. The image he saw was that of a real cowboy, one dressed for a parade. And a parade it would be when he eased that horse up to where Paige was living.