Red Hot Texan

by Katherine Garbera

  “But you’re not okay, are you?” Amelia asked. “I don’t think you should put yourself so low on the list.”

  “I’m not doing that. I’m okay. I really am. I just think about it sometimes and now that you are home, I think things are getting much better. I’m just glad you’re back.”

  “Me too,” Amelia said. “You know if you ever need to talk, I’m here.”

  “Thanks,” Emma said. “When Lane’s done running around want to come to my house? I have lemon freezer pie.”

  “Yes. I bet Lane will want that too,” Amelia said.

  Lane tired himself out running around and they walked the few blocks back to Emma’s house. As they turned onto her road, she saw the florist van in their yard, and she felt her pulse pick up as she got closer.

  Rowdy Tillman, a high school student who worked for the florist in the summer, smiled at her and handed her a bouquet. “These are for you, Miss Emma. I was going to leave them but then saw y’all walking up.”

  She took the flowers from him as she fumbled in her purse for her wallet. “Thank you, Rowdy.”

  She handed him a few bills as Amelia took the bouquet from her so she could unlock the door.

  “Who sent you flowers, Emmy?” Lane asked.

  “I’m not sure yet,” Emma said as she set them on the counter and reached for the card. She pulled it out and read the message. Simple. Succinct. And totally Red. It was all she needed, she realized, to put her fears at ease.

  Red was the man she thought he was. He had to be. Yellow roses were her favorite and somehow, he’d known that.

  Cut your line about a foot longer than you need.

  ~A Texan’s Guide to Fishing

  Chapter Five

  Showing up at Emma’s house two days later, Red wasn’t sure if it was a smart move or not. But he’d given her time to calm down, not that she’d been mad when he left, but he knew he’d hurt her feelings and Emma was the kind of woman who probably needed some time to figure out if she was going to give him a second chance.

  He’d sent the roses and she’d texted her thanks. When he’d texted back asking could he see her again, she’d waited until today to respond. It let him know the answer might be no. He’d spent the last two days working and concentrating on the house he was building on the outskirts of Last Stand. His father had purchased the property for him when he’d been born, and it had sat there empty for years.

  Red wasn’t normally a man for needing all the fixings that some people did. He preferred to sleep at his cabin next to the outfitters in town. But the best that anyone could say about that place was that it was rustic. In reality, it was a little bit on the rough and rundown side. His attorney had told him if he wanted to have a chance of getting custody of his daughter, he needed a real house with a room for her. So, he was building a great big dream house for her. The kind of house he imagined that a girl would love.

  He knocked on Emma’s door and waited. It was after seven and the sun was starting to set. The heat of the day lingered and normally Red would have taken his shirt off and been sitting next to the river with a cooler of ice-cold beers next to him. But tonight, he was wearing his good jeans, a button-down shirt and had tamed his hair into his church style.

  The door opened and a waft of cold air wrapped around him. He looked down into Emma’s eyes as she leaned against the door and looked over at him. Her hair was pulled back into a loose braid and she wore a pair of shorts and a T-shirt with the slogan “Also I can kill you with my brain” on it. She smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes and he knew she still wasn’t sure if she should forgive him for his behavior.

  “You’re late.”

  He glanced at his watch to double-check the time. It was a battered one from his dad’s days in the Marines and was good for all types of weather. “I think I have one minute and thirty seconds.”

  “Let me see,” she said.

  He held his wrist out to her, and she glanced down at the face of his watch. “Okay, I’ll let it slide. But, dude, use your phone as a clock—it’s more accurate.”

  Dude? That wasn’t her normal way of talking to him. He had the feeling she was trying to put him back in the friend zone. He had a choice—cut his line and give up on catching her or let her run out his line and see if he could coax her back.

  He’d never been a quitter, so he knew there wasn’t much of a decision to be made.

  “I’ll try to remember that,” he said. “You didn’t say what we’d be doing so I brought some plums off the tree in my yard and some plum wine that I made last year for you.”

  He handed them to her, and she took them before stepping back and silently inviting him to enter. He stepped inside and inhaled the smells of baking bread and maybe roasted corn. He closed the door behind him and then glanced down at the hardwood floor and his booted feet. He was wearing his dress boots, so they were clean but still.

  “Want me to take my shoes off?”

  “Yes, please,” she said. “Then join me in the kitchen. If you haven’t eaten, Delilah made a southwestern salad for dinner and I just finished baking the bread.”

  “Sure. Is she joining us?”

  “No, she’s working.”

  Emma turned and walked away, and he took a seat on the padded bench next to the door and took off his boots, left his hat on the bench and then followed Emma. When he got into the kitchen, he saw she’d set the table for two and had music playing softly in the background. He didn’t recognize the artist and it sounded like pop to him, which he seldom listened to, preferring rap or old-school country.

  “What can I do?”

  “Want to get the drinks?” she asked not looking up from the plates she was making for them.

  “Sure. What are you drinking?”

  “Rosé. It’s in the door. There’s beer and iced tea if you’d prefer that,” she said.

  “Beer would be great,” he said. He poured their drinks and then left them on the counter to go over to her. “Hey, about the other day. I am sorry. I just had some bad news from my attorney, and I was mad at the situation. I was trying to be cool and I didn’t mean to act the way I did.”

  She turned, leaning against the counter as she faced him. She crossed her legs as she did so, and he couldn’t help but notice how long and shapely they were. He didn’t think of her as tall, but her legs were long. She cleared her throat.

  He looked up and winked at her. “You’ve got great legs.”

  “Thanks for noticing. Listen, you don’t have to apologize again. The flowers already told me you meant it. I just want us to go back to being friends.”

  He nodded.

  “Guess you can’t give a guy another chance,” he said.

  She shook her head. “It’s not that. I like you, Red, but everyone in my family is talking about the fact that I didn’t wave to you when you dropped me off.”

  “You were justified and who besides your grandmother saw us?” he asked. Wondering where this was leading.

  “Just her. But it made me realize how…well everyone is watching us and I’m not sure I’m ready for that. I’m sure you remember how everyone talked about me and Trey when he ran off to Vegas with Peggy Tanner two days before our wedding.”

  *

  Emma hadn’t really planned to blurt it out, but she’d known since she’d seen the flowers that she couldn’t keep on seeing Red. Not like that. They’d always been friends and that was where she felt comfortable. Listening to Memaw and Amelia discuss her date with Red had left her feeling more vulnerable than she thought she could be with another guy after Trey. She’d figured with Red maybe everyone would just look the other way.

  And she liked Red. She had really liked kissing him but at the same time they lived in a small town where everyone knew them and their families. She just wasn’t ready to discuss her feelings about him with…well, anyone. Or to have everyone talking about them.

  “I do remember. I didn’t pay it much mind because you seemed to be moving on,” he sa
id. “But if you are uncomfortable with the thought of your family talking about us…I’ll leave this at the one date.”

  His response surprised her. She’d never thought that Red would just let someone he wanted walk away. But maybe that meant he didn’t really want her that way. Maybe she’d enjoyed the kiss way more than he had. Maybe—

  “Unless…” she said, as an idea came to her that was a bit crazy. But if he went for it…it would give them the freedom to date without everyone in town speculating on her standards and if she was going to be interesting enough for Red.

  “Unless what?”

  “Do you want to sneak around? Kind of keep dating on the down low?” she asked.

  She knew she did. She was still interested in Red. She hadn’t stopped thinking about him since their kiss by the river and despite the fact that she knew in her heart that if she fell for him it would be more complicated than she wanted in her life, she did want to see him again. She wasn’t ready to just walk away from him.

  “What do you have in mind?”

  “I’m not sure,” she admitted. “Is it silly?”

  “Yes. But I like it. Grab our plates and we can form a plan while we eat,” he said. He picked up her wineglass and his beer and walked over to the table she’d set earlier.

  In the middle of the table she’d put a vase with the roses he’d given her. They were so bright and cheery, and she enjoyed looking at them and seeing Red sitting across from her. She knew she wanted to figure out a way to see him without her family talking about it.

  “This looks really good,” he said.

  “Thanks. As I said Dee made it. I don’t want to ever lie to you, Red. I’m not a good cook.”

  He looked a bit uncomfortable for a moment. Then nodded. “I like that you are so honest.”

  “Thanks. Have you come up with any ideas?” she asked. “Do you think you would want to do something like this?”

  “I like you, Emma—I’m sure that’s not a surprise—and I really enjoyed kissing you and I’d like to do that again, but I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable with it. I don’t want you looking over your shoulder trying to avoid seeing your folks.”

  “Me either. And I don’t want you to think I’m being silly but with my family they can be a bit intrusive, I guess.”

  “I get it. I’ve seen your family all my life so I know how they can be. I have an idea. I’m building a house on the outskirts of town,” he said.

  She’d heard he was so that wasn’t a surprise. Though she doubted he’d use it. Red liked being at the outfitters all the time or on the river fishing or kayaking.

  “How’s that coming along?” she asked.

  “Nicely. The house is pretty much completed. I am still working on the patio and I have no clue on the interiors. What I’m suggesting is that you help me with the interior. I really want to make my house feel more like a home and you know my idea of decorating is a nice lawn chair and Yeti cooler.”

  She started laughing. “I’m not really much of an interior designer.”

  “Did you decorate this place or was that Delilah?”

  “It was me. She’s really only interested in the kitchen and garden. Why?” Emma asked.

  “I like your house. It feels comfortable and it looks nice. Not all stuffy like the designs that I see in brochures and all that. And you know me. Plus, we can spend time at my new house without anyone talking about it since you’ll be helping me decorate it. What do you say?”

  “So, would I really be helping you out?” she asked. “Or would it just be for show?”

  “I’m not much on lying, but I also don’t believe that every detail of our lives is open for public consumption. I sort of prefer to have everything taken care of before it’s public knowledge,” he said. “So, I’d like you to help me out. And we can have dates out at my place.”

  She took a bite of her salad to give herself some time to think. She liked the idea of helping Red decorate his home and hanging out with him away from Last Stand. Was there anything she was missing? Was there something she should be concerned about? Or was she simply looking for a reason to say no when she knew she really wanted to say yes?

  “Okay. I’ll do it,” she said.

  “Great. Why don’t we take a drive out there when we’re done with dinner? That way you can see the property and the empty the house. Once you see the place I think that it will help to get an idea of what kind of place it is. It’s not like the cabin,” he suggested.

  “I like that. Yes. Let’s do it,” she said, then reached across the table to take his hand in hers.

  He turned his hand and squeezed hers before letting it go. They talked about everything and nothing during the rest of the meal. Emma realized that she was relaxed now that Red and she had settled things. She had a chance to get to know him without feeling the pressure of her entire family on her back.

  It wasn’t as if anyone other than her memaw wanted her married and her memaw made no bones about that. But this way she could just enjoy Red and see if there was more between them than friendship and the sparks of one kiss on a hot summer day.

  A part of her was sure there would be. Why else would she be laughing at his story about a tourist falling in the river and imagining it was him? Coming up out of the water in a soaked T-shirt that clung to his muscly frame. There had to be more than just lust involved, right?

  *

  Red pulled into the dirt driveway in front of his new house. He’d had electrics run so he knew it wouldn’t be too dark out here tonight. He had toyed with telling her about his daughter. About the reason why he was building the house but after what she’d said, about her family, it seemed to him that Emma needed time. He needed to run out his line as she figured out what it was she wanted from him.

  And he was willing to let her do that. He wanted her. Sitting across from her tonight, turned on by the way she laughed and the way she smiled when she thought of something that amused her, had been one of the most pleasurable he’d spent in a long time. When he was with Emma, he felt like he’d checked his troubles at the door.

  He knew at some point he’d have to tell her about his daughter, but tonight didn’t seem the right time. She was still figuring out what she wanted from him. He was still trying to figure out if they were going to work out. He needed some space too, he thought as he went to the electric mains box and turned on the power.

  The floodlights in the front and back of the house came on just as Emma got out of her Fiat. Her car was so not sensible for Texas, but it suited her.

  “Wow. This is way bigger than I was expecting,” she said. “It’s almost as big as my parents’ house.”

  “Well, I figured I’d better make it something worthwhile. I mean I want it to last for generations,” he said.

  She came up next to him and he noticed she tucked her car keys into her pocket. “You’re building this house for your future family?”

  “Yeah, something like that. I mean who knows what the future holds, right?”

  She nodded. “Yes. Show me around. Should I take notes?”

  “It’s just you and me, so it’s up to you,” he said. “But you’ll get an idea of what I want as we walk around.”

  “That works for me. This might be beyond my skills as a designer,” she warned him.

  “I trust you. If you’re not sure you can get some help,” he said. “But you can be in charge.”

  “You might regret saying that,” she warned with a laugh. “Everyone says I’m the bossy one.”

  “I thought you were the smart, quiet one,” he said.

  “Only in crowds. With my family and friends, I’m bossy.”

  “You’ve never bossed me,” he said. “Should I be offended?”

  She shook her head, her braid swinging with the motion. “I like you, Red. I didn’t want to put you off with my bossy attitude.”

  “You could never put me off,” he said, but he wondered if that was true. He was saying all the right things becau
se he knew she needed to hear them, but he also wondered if he had to say them. If he needed one thing in his life to be just perfect and easy.

  But immediately he felt bad about even thinking that. She deserved more from him. After what she’d said about lying he knew he was going to have get the situation with Molly sorted out and bring her up to speed. But not yet. That part of his life was still out of his control.

  “I doubt that,” she said, sardonically. “Show me this place. Two stories?”

  “Two and a full attic,” he said. “I remember when you told me about sitting in the window of your attic and reading and watching the town.”

  “I told you that in middle school,” she said.

  “I know. I remember the important things,” he said. “Remember when you were trying to teach me to read on the down low?”

  “How could I forget?” she asked, turning and putting her hand on his face, the way she did when she got real.

  He was starting to realize that she was a toucher and he wouldn’t have guessed it before because Emma didn’t touch someone unless she cared.

  “I don’t know. Figured it wasn’t as important to you as it was to me,” he said.

  Thanks to Emma he’d managed to get some fairly decent—for him—grades that year. The next year she’d been put in the baccalaureate program and he hadn’t had any classes with her anymore. But that one year, he’d actually not minded going to school. He’d had a chance to see why other kids liked it.

  “It was. I hope it helped,” she said.

  “For a while,” he admitted. “But eventually it wasn’t enough. I mean I was winning fishing competitions and making money and my dad said if I didn’t want to go back I didn’t have to. My mom really wasn’t on board, but she knew how I struggled with reading, and school didn’t seem to be where my future was.”

  “So, you made the choice that worked for you,” she said. “And you’re reading books when you want to and you’re very successful. I’m proud of you. Not that you need me to be.”