by Sable Hunter
Twisting in front of the mirror, she tried to decide if her clothes were cool enough to wear out with other kids. Since her mother would have a cow if she had any idea her less-than-perfect daughter was about to venture into the unknown world of social interaction—with a boy! Skimming her hands down her body, she wished she was thin. Oh, she wasn’t fat—not hugely fat, or morbidly obese as they called it—which was the worst possible name, anything with the word morbid in it had to be horrible. Cato preferred to think of herself as pleasantly plump. Actually, anyone who was fatter than the skinniest girl in school was fat to someone.
Being curvy these days was an automatic social death sentence. Couple plumpness with deafness and what did you get? A social pariah, that’s what. Or that’s what her mother would have her believe. Feeling less than enthused, Cato leaned forward and rested her elbows on the sink, staring right into her big brown eyes. There were weird golden suns around the pupils. She must have gotten that from her dad.
Her dad.
Cato would give just about anything for him to walk through the door and rescue her. Edith had nothing good to say about Bill Vincent. Of course, that didn’t surprise Cato. Edith had nothing good to say about her either. According to her mother, Cato’s father was a no-count gambling drunk and she harped on Cato all the time about the dangers of alcohol and cards. One of these days, when she was old enough, Cato vowed she was going to go to a casino and play the one-armed bandit.
Just because.
“Oh, no!” Widening her eyes, she popped up, bouncing. She’d forgotten to use mouthwash. What if a boy wanted to kiss her? Giggling at the complete audacity of the thought, she ran to her mother’s bathroom and nabbed hers, then ran back to gargle. Cato would have to remember to take the mouth freshener back, so she wouldn’t have to explain to her mom why she wanted minty breath. Anytime she could avoid explaining anything to Edith, it was a good thing.
For years, Cato had struggled with the relationship between her and her mother. There were times when she felt as if Edith hated her, but Cato knew that couldn’t be true. Mothers had to love their kids. After all, she fed Cato and kept her clothed and a roof over her head. No, their misshapen relationship was Cato’s fault. She was a disappointment to her beautiful, thin, eloquent, tiara-wearing mother with perfect hearing. Cato was defective and the elegant beauty queen was humiliated for people to know that Cato was her child.
Hugging herself, she replayed her mother’s words in her head. No one wants you. No one will ever want you.
Stiffening her spine, she mentally fought back. “That’s not true. I’m nice and sweet and cute and honest and…adorable!” She finished with a laugh. Right now, not even the bag boy at the Piggly Wiggly could get her down. The other day he’d made some obnoxious noise at her, one she couldn’t readily identify by lip-reading. Cato had thought he’d been howling at her, but Edith had told her with a knowing glance that he was mooing at her—because she was a cow. Cato was pretty well used to the sting by now and took immense pride in not reacting, either to the bag boy or to her mother. She was what she was. “I’ve got to be me!” she sang as she padded out of the bathroom to find her purse. Aunt Flo would be there in five minutes and Cato had new worlds to conquer.
* * *
She looked up at Troy Keller through her lashes. He was cute. Not as cute as the guy who’d fought for her at the library. That boy would forever be her perfect knight in shining armor—but Troy would do in a pinch.
Tessa had explained to him that Cato was hearing impaired and even though he didn’t sign, Troy had been careful to look at her when he spoke so she could read his lips. Yea, she’d like to do something else with those lips. And she would if Troy gave her half a chance.
“What was the last good movie you saw?” Troy asked as Tessa and Jack giggled in the front seat. This was almost like a date—not quite, but a close facsimile.
“I don’t see many movies,” Cato admitted, shyly. “Except on television.”
“Why not?” The idea seemed foreign to Troy. “Do you live under a rock?”
Cato blushed. “I don’t get out much, you know.”
“You don’t?” he asked with a smirk.
She held her head up. “I’m homeschooled. I don’t get to be around too many people.” Okay, she sounded pathetic.
“I like action movies.”
Cato let out a breath she’d been holding. “I like comedies.”
“Have you ever been on a date?”
Cato felt her body grow tense. “Nope.” She raised her head, refusing to be ashamed.
“Cool, first time for everything, I guess. Just remember, this isn’t one.”
“Okay.” She shrugged, determined not to let him get her down. They ended up seeing a romantic chick flick and Tessa pushed and maneuvered people around to ensure Cato was sitting by Troy. Tessa hadn’t heard what Troy said to her in the car. He was pretty nice about it, though, and while she didn’t get a kiss, Cato did manage to get to hold hands with Troy. It was probably at her instigation—after all, she put her hand on her knee and wiggled her little finger at him, trying to be as tempting as possible. It might have been charity or pity, but he eased his hand over and took hers within his grasp. They couldn’t talk in the movie because she couldn’t see his lips clearly enough to read them, so he didn’t try. During the movie, they did exchange a few smiles and Cato enjoyed it all immensely.
After getting a hamburger, the group had broken up and she’d waved shyly at Troy, hoping against hope he would someday ask her out. Not that her mother would let her go, but it would be nice to be asked.
Spending the night with Tessa was always a huge adventure. Aunt Flo never had a problem with them leaving the light on, so Cato never felt trapped in the darkness like she did at home. Her dad got them up early the next day and they headed to the lake. She had to make do with a pair of shorts and a T-shirt to swim in. Her mother had never felt the need to buy Cato a swimsuit.
They swam and played in the water for a few hours while Uncle Bill fished. When he grew tired because the bass weren’t biting, he offered to take the girls skiing. Cato had never tried, so she opted to ride in the boat for a few rounds. Soon she got bored with it, but Tessa was having a blast. So they took Cato back to the bank and Tessa turned, her blonde hair flying in the wind and yelled, “Goodbye, Cato. Be sweet.”
With that, she ran back to the boat, laughing all the way.
Cato went up to their picnic table and poured herself a drink, sitting back in the shade to cool off. Holding her ponytail on top of her head, she let the cool breeze flow across her neck. Feeling a bit drowsy, Cato closed her eyes and let her mind drift.
A sudden jarring of the bench she was sitting on startled her. Cato opened her eyes and saw her uncle, his face a mask of anguish. “What’s wrong?” she screamed.
“Tessa’s dead! She’s dead!”
Cato jumped up and saw people gathering around. Her uncle ran back down the hill and she followed. Tessa’s body lay on the bank of the lake. Several people were hovering around her. People were crying. “What happened?” she asked anyone who would answer.
Her uncle came to her, crying. “My boat hit something in the water and I veered off course. I slung her too far to one side and she slammed into the dock.”
Cato went to her knees, her heart crushed in her chest. “She told me goodbye, she shouldn’t have said goodbye.”
Heath – A New Attitude
“Phew! I don’t know how you do it, Jimmy.” Heath lounged back in the seat of Jimmy Dushku’s private plane. “This jet-setting life wears me out.” They had just returned from an oil conference in Dubai.
“It’s the women, my friend. You’ve got to learn to pace yourself.”
Smiling, Heath sipped a drink the attendant had brought them upon take-off. “How do you do it? A different woman every night.”
“I take a supplement called Texas-T.” Heath smirked and Jimmy laughed. “Actually, I’m co-owner of the comp
any.” He handed him a bottle.
“Of course you are.” He threw the pills back at Jimmy. “I’ve got work to do. I can’t gallivant all over the globe like you can.”
“You work too hard.” The plane began to bank and an announcement to fasten their seat belts came over the loud speaker. “Sex is good for you, makes you live longer with less stress. There are plenty of beautiful, sexy women in Austin. Just let me know when you need me to set you up.”
“I may take you up on it.” Heath shook his head at the laid-back guy who could buy Texas, sell it at a loss and still have money left over. “Yep, women as a whole are a hazard to my health.” Since Amy, he had vowed to change his ways. “I’ve learned my lesson, Jimmy. No more Mr. Nice Guy. When I need sex, I’ll find it. But meaningful relationships are off the table. From now on I’m playing the field. It’s only love ‘em and leave ‘em and wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am’ for Heath McCoy.”
Jimmy lifted his drink in a salute. “Welcome to the club. Before you leave, remind me to show you a special room I’ve been working on at the back of the plane.”
“What, a bedroom? That would be nice.”
“More than a bedroom, my friend, a play-room.”
“Pool table?”
Jimmy laughed. “No, more like a spanking bench and a sex swing.”
Heath’s eyes widened. “Oh, that kind of play! Damn, Dushku.”
“Have to keep the women amused.”
“I hear you.” Pulling his Stetson down over his eyes to block out the evening sun shining through the window, Heath made one more blanket statement. “If I ever look like I’m about to get serious about a woman again, just shoot me.”
“I may not have to. You pissed Caesar Arness off royally. I can’t believe you hit him in the middle of the hotel lobby.”
“Dumb-ass deserved it. He’s an upstart, a former pipefitter, for God’s sake. His father just leeched off of Al Hollings and my father implied there was some shady deal James Arness tried to pull on my grandfather, Isaac. I don’t trust either of them. Caesar is a land shark, Hollings had bank connections and I think they’re acquiring repossessed properties. I’d bet my left nut they’re doing something illegal. He bears watching.”
“Arness keeps his plane at the same private airport that I do. I run into him frequently. Hopefully we won’t be landing at the same time.”
“We’d better not. I won’t be held responsible.”
“So, you’re angry because you don’t trust him or are you angry because he’s dating your former fiancée?”
Heath stared out the window at the passing clouds. “I don’t care who Amy dates. I just want them both to stay as far away from me as possible.”
Cato – A Whole New World
“Wow, let me look at that picture.” Cato grabbed the snapshot from Savannah’s hands. “This is one of Patrick’s friends? I bet this guy is seriously hot, hard and hung!”
Savannah smirked. “You say that about every guy you see.”
“Hey, I’m a frustrated virgin.” Cato giggled.
Tammany laughed and grabbed Cato, covering her mouth. Looking over Cato’s shoulder at Fresca, Tammany whispered, “She needs a muffler, she has no idea she’s talking so loud.”
“I don’t care if we get thrown out of here. It’s worth it to see her smile. Let her talk,” Fresca said with an indulgent look on her face.
Cato untangled herself from her friend’s playful headlock. “Don’t muss my hair, I’m hot tonight.”
“Yes, you are,” Savannah agreed. “How’s your mother?”
Cato’s smile faded. Thinking of her mother made guilt rise in her breast. “She’s doing better.” Which wasn’t true. The chemotherapy and radiation had stopped working. Edith had breast cancer, triple negative with a poor prognosis.
All three of her friends stared at her. They knew a little about her past, but not much. She’d been ashamed to tell them everything. Frankly, Cato didn’t like to think about it too much. When Tessa had been killed, she had immersed herself in school. It was all she had left. Even though she was homeschooled, her mother wasn’t really involved. She gave Cato the lesson plans, but it was up to Cato to do the work. And she had. Cato had worked hard, even completing her college work online. Once that had happened, her mother seemed to take interest in her again, even helping Cato get this job with the Louisiana Culture Center. Edith had connections, she was fond of saying.
“We’re here for you. You know that, don’t you?” Tammany covered Cato’s hand with her own.
“I know that.” Coming to work with these girls had made all the difference in her life. It was as if she’d been released from prison, even though her mother still encouraged her to sign, not speak, reiterating how ‘unprofessional’ she sounded. But Cato had been silent long enough. She needed to be heard, she needed to express herself and the employees at the center had absolutely embraced Cato, insisting she talk to them in her own voice.
Tammany glanced at her watch. “Damn, look at the time. We’ve got to get back.”
“Yea, I have a meeting with Harley LeBlanc. She’s bringing an author to us who needs help researching some haunted plantations,” Savannah spoke as she stood, hooking her purse over her shoulder. It was almost as big as she was. “Cato, I’m going to ask our boss to assign you to the project with me. I think you’ll enjoy traveling up River Road and visiting Oak Alley and Laura Plantation with Avery Sinclair.” She named two supposedly haunted antebellum homes.
“I’d love to.” Cato gathered her purse and put it over her shoulder.
As they walked out the door, two men held the door for them and gave the girls an obvious once-over. One of them puckered his mouth.
“Did he just whistle at us?” Cato asked—loudly.
“I think he was whistling at you.” Tammany elbowed her.
“Fat chance.” Cato sighed.
“You aren’t fat!” Fresca swatted Cato. “You have the kind of body men go crazy for. My God, just look at that rack.”
“She’s right,” Savannah agreed. “Why don’t you let me set you up with one of Patrick’s friends?” Her face brightened at the idea. “How about the guy in the photo? His name is Revel Lee. He’s single.”
Cato shook her head, sadly. “I can’t. My mom needs me right now. The home health worker gets off at five and I have to take care of her the rest of the evening. No time to date.”
Tammany brushed Cato’s long hair off her shoulder as they walked to the car. “You’re having a hard time, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” Cato stopped in the parking lot so she could speak to them and see what they were saying. “Things are better now and I’m determined to make a new life for myself. I won’t ever go back to the way I was. Meeting all of you has changed my life. I intend to make up for lost time, meet people and experience all the things I’ve been missing.”
“Good.” Fresca grabbed her arm. “You deserve to be happy.”
“I intend to be happy.” She gathered them in for a group hug. “One of these days I’m going to find someone to love, someone who will love me just the way I am. I might have to rope him to get his attention, but once I do—I’m never letting him go.”
CHAPTER ONE
Tebow Ranch was celebrating. The stately main house which had been the McCoys home for decades was ablaze with lights. Garlands of white flowers interwoven with ivy were draped over the thick, wooden banisters and wrapped around the heavy stone posts. Tiny twinkling white lights were entwined among the branches of the giant oak trees which dotted the landscape. The grand pavilion near the river’s edge was decorated with gladiolas, lilies, roses, and orange blossoms. Dozens of gaily set round tables were ready for friends and family. The whole vast vista of green rolling hill country had been transformed into a romantic wonderland for this special occasion.
One of the most anticipated weddings in many peoples’ memories was in full swing. Joy filled the air as Isaac McCoy took Avery Sinclair’s hand and looked deep i
nto her eyes, the love on his face evident for all to see. And to top it off, Avery’s father was officiating at the ceremony.
Cato didn’t know if it was just for her or if the McCoys had other hearing impaired friends, but a woman was performing beautiful interpretive sign language to accompany the music. She couldn’t hear it, but Cato knew strains of Elvis Presley’s Can’t Help Falling in Love With You was touching the heart of every woman in the room. She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye as she watched the happy couple exchange their vows.
Avery was radiant in a white lace gown which made her look like a princess with a Juliet style veil and train. Any woman who could have a man look at her the way Isaac was eating Avery up with his eyes would be the luckiest woman in Dixie. Cato vowed that one day—hell or high water—she would find a man who could love her just as much as Isaac loved Avery.
Not wanting to miss a thing, Cato sat up near the front and to the side so she could read the pastor’s lips. From the first moment she’d met Avery, Cato had adored her. They’d had a blast visiting The Myrtles plantation in St. Francisville. Avery planned to use the haunted antebellum home as a setting for a romance novel she was writing. It had shocked Cato to learn that sweet, seemingly innocent, Avery Sinclair, was the erotic romance writer Sable Hunter. Cato couldn’t count the times she’d gone to bed with one of Sable’s hot stories for company. “I need a man,” she mumbled under her breath. Cato was ready to replace the fantasies in the books with a real live man between her sheets.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered together in the sight of God to join this couple in Holy Matrimony.”
Isaac reached out and tenderly pushed a strand of hair from Avery’s cheek. “I love you,” he said. Cato didn’t know if he’d whispered the words or spoke them out loud. How he said them didn’t matter, it was still the most romantic thing she’d ever seen. Cato felt her heart pinch with envy. Oh, not that she resented Avery for finding her true love. Cato just wanted one of her own. Actually, a wedding wasn’t bad scouting ground for a husband, especially a McCoy wedding. Gazing around, she took note of the guests. God, there were a lot of good looking men in this crowd. Some of them she’d already met, but there were a few new faces. Perhaps the reception would prove to be a good time to scope out eligible men. All of the unmarried McCoy brothers were already claimed, as were many of their friends, but maybe there were a few mavericks floating around. Mavericks…Cato smiled, amused at herself. She’d only be in Texas a week or two and she was already using cowboy lingo.
