by Leslie North
Since she’d had a few hours to steel herself, when he came through the restaurant door she was able to smile at him with barely any strain, drawing on her professional experience in public relations to guide her through the moment.
“Sorry if I’m a mite late,” he said. He removed his hat, and in spite of her best intentions, she found herself mentally ticking off ways he was like her deceased husband and the ways he was different. The lean, muscular build was the same, though Luke had been a little taller. The dark brown hair worn a shade too long had hints of gold that her husband’s had lacked, but looked to be just as thick and silky. But it was Cal’s eyes that hit her the hardest—they were the exact shade of green as Luke and his younger brothers. One of the differences was there, too, though. The creases near Cal’s eyes spoke of someone who had laughed at more jokes and squinted in more sunshine than her husband had gotten the opportunity to.
“Not at all. Let’s head to the table.” She walked in front of him, overly conscious of the stares turning in their direction. The restaurant was busy, filled with the sounds of conversation and silverware tapping on plates, but a shocked lull seemed to travel in their wake. She was casting a look back at Cal to see if he was as aware of it as she was when a sudden crash drew everyone’s attention to the entrance to the kitchen. A fully-loaded tray of food lay on the ground while the waiter—a man who’d gone to high school with her husband, as she recalled—gaped at her and Cal.
Amy slid quickly into a chair at their table and gestured for Cal to sit next to her. She should have made the introductions standing, but she didn’t want to garner any more attention than they already had.
“Cal, this is Diane Huntington, the mayor of Darby Crossing, and her husband, Drake.” While Amy spoke, she noticed the usual restaurant sounds resuming. “Diane and Drake, meet our rodeo star Cal Pierce.”
“Pleased to meet you.” Cal shook the mayor’s hand first and then Drake’s.
“Same to you, young man. I see what the fuss is about now that I’ve got a look at you,” Diane said in her characteristic blunt way. “You are the spittin’ image of Luke Thorne. God rest his soul.”
Amy cringed slightly. There were many wonderful things that could be said about Diane. She was kind. Honorable. Unflinchingly honest. Enormously capable. Diane had become the first African-American and the first woman mayor of the town. That took courage and brains. Diane had both in spades. But tact? Well…no one was perfect. Amy felt a little like crawling under the table and refusing to come out.
“So it seems,” Cal said smoothly and the uncomfortable moment passed. “I appreciate you inviting me to this dinner, Mayor.”
“Least I can do since you’re donating your time and name to help us out,” Diane said. “We’re looking forward to rebuilding our community center.”
“I imagine it’s the center of the town’s social life.” Cal had a polite smile on his face. He was clearly used to playing the PR game. Luke had always been a charmer, too.
“You bet it is,” Diane said. “Everything goes on there from basketball for the kids in winter to wedding receptions. We sure do miss having the building. And I hope by this time next year, we’ll have it completely rebuilt, better than ever.”
“I’m sure you will.” Cal took the menu a waiter offered him.
“You’ll have to come back and see it,” the mayor invited. Cal let that pass without comment as they began to place their orders.
He wouldn’t be back, Amy thought. He was a rodeo guy, and they were always just passin’ through. Not to mention, this had to be awkward for him. He was probably counting the days until he could leave town. She was half listening to the others’ orders when she heard Cal’s. He requested a steak with mushrooms and onions, a loaded baked potato, a salad with ranch dressing, and a side of corn. Amy could have recited his words because they were exactly what Luke would have ordered. When Cal added a particular beer, Luke’s favorite, she had to grip the edge of the table.
This was surreal. How could he be so much like her husband? It was the wildest coincidence of her life and she couldn’t stop herself from analyzing everything he did and said. His voice was a tad deeper but otherwise the same, the charming smile he gave the server who brought their salads could have been Luke’s, even the way he let the bottle of beer slide through his fingers and thump against the table was the same. Everything was all too familiar to her.
As was the feeling of guilt that washed over her. She could feel the sympathetic looks of fellow diners. They were wondering how she was managing to sit there with a clone of her husband and make conversation when her heart had been so thoroughly broken by the tragic end of their perfect marriage. They must be thinking that it was like being stabbed repeatedly for her, and it was.
But not for the reason they all assumed.
She’d loved her husband at one point, but she’d realized a year before his death that she no longer did. Other loves had made her stay in the marriage. Love for her son Henry, her in-laws, the people of Darby Crossing. She’d found a home here, even if her happily-ever-after marriage had been a façade over a relationship where she’d had little control. Luke had been so good at creating a persona. He was the golden boy in this town, and she’d once fallen for that, too. But he wasn’t like that in private. Sometimes she thought that only she had seen him for what he was—spoiled and insincere with a me-first attitude that made her feel like a trophy rather than a partner.
“Tell me about the town, Mayor,” Cal said when their meals arrived, and they’d talked about the rodeo circuit.
The mayor launched into her list of reasons why Darby Crossing was a great place to saddle your horse and hang your hat. She ended her litany with a question for Cal. “Are you from a small town or are you a city boy at heart?”
“I grew up in the outskirts of Austin,” he said. “So I’m neither, really. I’m not a big city fan, but I couldn’t live in a small town either.”
“Why not?” Amy asked, joining the conversation after remaining silent for several minutes.
“Nothing against your town,” he was quick to say. “Seems like a nice place, but I like bein’ on the road, staying moving.”
Hence, the rodeo life for him. He didn’t want to be pinned down. That wasn’t like her husband. After they’d married during their final year of college in California, he couldn’t wait to return to this small town in Texas. She’d understood why after arriving. Luke enjoyed the attention and admiration of others, and he easily got that here. But she’d enjoyed small town life more than she’d expected to.
“I grew up in Virginia,” Amy said, holding her wine glass by the stem, “and went to college in California. I expected to stay in the big city, but I’ve found I love it here. I’ve got no plans to leave.”
Cal gave her a nod that she wasn’t sure how to interpret. She figured he was probably judging her—and decided she didn’t care. He wasn’t part of her life. She had no reason to care what he thought. She could get through a month of appearances and promo work with him, but she’d be glad when it was done.
“Ooops,” Diane said after she checked her phone. “We’ve got to run. You all stay and have dessert. Order whatever you like—the restaurant knows to bill it to me.” Diane and Drake were gone the next moment, leaving her and Cal at the table in a slightly stunned silence.
“That’s Diane for you. She’s always a bundle of energy. Did you want dessert?” She didn’t, but she couldn’t just walk away from her guest either.
“I can go either way,” he said and leaned closer to her. “Amy, I’ve been sitting here debating what to do, but I think I need to be honest with you.”
“About what?” She felt a curl of nerves start in her stomach.
“There’s a reason I look so much like your husband.” When she didn’t respond, he continued quietly, guaranteeing that no other diners could hear him. “I was adopted as a baby, and until today I never asked questions about my birth family. After meeting you and
seeing people’s reactions in town, I called my mom, my adopted mom.”
“What did she say?” Amy almost didn’t want to know.
“She gave me the name of my birth mother. Laura Cooper,” he said. “I did some research and found that Laura married Marshall Thorne thirty years ago here in Darby Crossing.”
Amy swallowed hard when she heard Luke’s mother’s name. This man sitting with her was her husband’s half-brother. It seemed too impossible to be true, but she had no reason to doubt his words either. Had Luke even known he’d had another sibling? Did Jake and Brian? She didn’t think so.
She gulped down the last of her wine, managing not to choke on it. What was she supposed to say to that? She waited, letting the information sink in as she searched for the best reaction.
“Thank you for telling me that,” Amy finally said, wondering what he expected from her. She just wanted to be away from him. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to head home. I think it’s best if we keep our dealings professional. As for social, I…I can’t. I hope you understand.”
“That’s probably for the best,” he agreed, but the way he was watching her made her feel a flicker of something she hadn’t experienced in a very long time. God, was that attraction? It couldn’t be.
“Shall we go?” she said, retreating to excessive politeness.
He walked her to her car, making her think that whoever had raised him had ingrained gentlemanly behavior. Laura would be proud of him.
Good gracious, Laura had another son in the world. That thought kept Amy’s mind occupied while she drove back to the Thornes’ family ranch, where she’d continued to live after her husband’s death. She’d wanted to be with her mother-in-law and Luke’s brothers while they’d all been reeling with grief after the accident. Later, she’d stayed for her son’s sake. Henry was a Thorne and deserved to grow up on the ranch and be part of the family’s legacy.
Amy pulled up in front of the sprawling ranch house that had been her home since coming here as a bride with Luke. When she made her way inside, she found Jake sound asleep on the couch in front of the TV, a baseball game on. It was a familiar sight. He always worked himself too hard—trying to fill the shoes his father and older brother had left behind.
She tiptoed past him and went to the part of the house where her and her son’s rooms were. Henry was under the covers with a plastic horse tucked in with him. Amy gently worked the horse loose, so he wouldn’t roll over on it during the night. The boy was horse crazy, a fact that would have pleased Luke. But she was more cautious in her enthusiasm, especially after Henry had broken his leg during the winter while riding in the inside arena. One limb was still thinner than the other, a result of wearing a cast for the past two months. She knew she’d have to let Henry ride again, but she was frightened of what could happen to such a little boy. He was still small for his age, but he was the brightest spot in her life. If something happened to him….
She was just being maudlin, she decided as she kissed her son’s forehead. The day had been too much. She needed rest, but as she went back into the hall, she didn’t turn toward her bedroom. Instead, she made her way to the kitchen where she expected to find her mother-in-law.
Amy had no clear plan of what she’d say to Laura when she entered the kitchen. Would Laura want to know about her oldest son? Or had the woman already suffered enough? But she had another child, who’d grown up into a decent man—what woman wouldn’t want to know that? Maybe it would even help Laura heal in some way.
“How was your dinner?” Laura looked up with a smile from her place at the kitchen island.
“It was fine. I think the rodeo will raise the funds we need, and that’s a good thing.” Because if they didn’t, Amy wasn’t sure what would happen. “What are you up to?”
“Putting together the grocery list,” Laura said. “Growing boy to feed, you know.”
“Henry’s not putting away that much food, yet,” Amy said, but she was still amazed at how much her son could consume.
“He will soon enough. He’ll be eating like his…” Laura didn’t finish the sentence, but they both knew the next word would have been “daddy.”
And that little reference to Luke was enough for Amy to ask the difficult question. “Laura, did you have a child before Luke that you gave up for adoption?”
Laura’s head was bent over her list, and she tapped against the pad of paper with a pen for several seconds before letting out a sigh and looking up. Her face was calm but resigned. “I think that’s a conversation for the front porch. How about I make us some tea and meet you out there?”
Amy left the kitchen, understanding that Laura needed a minute to herself. Making tea, Laura’s go-to beverage, would be therapeutic. On the porch, Amy sat in one of the rockers, trying to enjoy the cool air of the spring evening, but her thoughts wandered to what Laura would say. She’d have never thought her mother-in-law could be carrying around such a secret, but Laura hadn’t denied the existence of another child.
Amy shook her head and settled deeper into the rocker as she let the familiar surroundings soothe her after a tempestuous day. Under the light of the moon, she could see pastures and barns. All was quiet except for the nickering of horses in the distance. This was home to Amy. It gave her comfort, and she thought it did the same for Laura.
“Quiet tonight,” Laura said, stepping onto the porch and handing Amy a mug of hot tea. “I made chamomile. I think we’ll both need something calming.” They sipped their tea for a moment before Laura began. “I was seventeen when I graduated from high school and realized I was pregnant. My family wasn’t pleased. We’d never been close, not like the Thornes, but they didn’t throw me out either. They were prepared to help me with the baby. I decided, though, that I was too young to raise a child. I moved to Austin and found a place that took in pregnant girls. They helped me set up the adoption, and I lived there until the baby was born. I held him for just a minute before I let him go. He was beautiful. I remember that.”
Amy couldn’t imagine giving up a child like that. It would have broken her heart.
“I was assured that the adoptive couple was older and financially stable and that they were unable to have children and wanted one desperately,” Laura continued, as if anticipating Amy’s reaction. “And I knew the baby would be better off with them than with me.”
“What did you do afterwards?” Amy asked after taking a sip of tea.
“I wanted a fresh start, so I worked for a few months and saved up money to buy a car. It wasn’t a very good car. It only got me as far as Darby Crossing, where it broke down.” There was warmth in Laura’s voice now as she remembered the scene. “Marshall Thorne came to my rescue at the side of the road, and I fell in love instantly. That never changed.”
Laura knew that to be true. Her in-laws had had an enviable marriage. Their love for each other was in everything they did. Amy had been almost jealous of that in the final months of her marriage when she’d finally accepted that she would never have that with Luke.
“The rodeo rider, Cal Pierce, is my son,” Laura said quietly. “I wondered what would happen when you said he was coming to town.”
“You knew?” Amy was shocked.
“I wasn’t sure,” Laura admitted. “I saw him on television once. I was flipping through channels one day while cleaning. Cal was being interviewed after a successful ride, and I just knew. He looked like Luke, but also like the men in my family. What’s he like in person?”
“He’s kind. He seems like the type who doesn’t beat around the bush, though.” Amy told her mother-in-law about her near collapse in the office and about dinner where Cal revealed what he’d learned. “He doesn’t like small town life. He made that clear at dinner tonight.”
“Unlike Luke,” Laura said, and they were both silent for a minute. Amy guessed they were having the same thoughts. Luke had loved everything about Darby Crossing. “So he’ll move on, then. That’s probably for the best. Once the rodeo is over,
he’ll have no reason to return.” She stood, collected their tea mugs and went into the house.
Amy couldn’t get a read on her mother-in-law’s feelings. What must it be like to have given up a child and realize who he was as an adult? Amy shook her head. The day had been an emotional tangle, and she could think of nothing else to do but to kiss her son again and go to bed.
3
“I could have driven myself,” Cal said as he got into Amy’s car the following morning. There’d been no good reason why he wasn’t headed for the radio interview in his own truck. Instead, he’d had an early breakfast with Rafael before his buddy had to go teach his first period class, and then Cal had had to cool his heels and wait for her to arrive at his hotel. Not that she was late, but he was used to managing himself.
She swung her gaze toward him, and he saw her instant irritation. “It’s my job to make the most of these promo opportunities. I wouldn’t want to risk you getting lost or being late.”
“I can follow directions,” he said, snapping his seatbelt on.
“That’s good to know.” She pulled onto the main road headed out of town. “I’ll expect you to do that to make this rodeo a success.”
The way she said it made it sound as though the rodeo had to be a success, and he supposed that was true. The town was putting a lot of stock in one event. He could see why she was concerned, and he respected that—but on the other hand, he’d woken up in a foul mood after a sleepless night. Half of him wondered if he should have kept his mouth shut about his parentage, and the other half thought he should have high-tailed it out of town in a hurry after he realized his resemblance to the sainted Luke Thorne.
No part of him wanted to be riding in Amy’s car. In his own truck, he could have put on his favorite tunes, opened the windows, and let the breeze blow away some of his stress. As it was, the stress was balling up inside him.
