by Leigh Riker
“I know you like me, Dallas. I like you too, but—”
“Yeah, yeah, I know the drill. Your kids. Your mother and her friend don’t have enough to do so they keep track of you, and you hate being talked about. Your ex is a jerk who betrayed your trust, but this is now, you and me...here...and nobody else is looking,” he pointed out. “I won’t take advantage of you. Just remember,” he nearly whispered, “how good we were together in May.”
She made a frustrated sound. “I was half out of my mind then. When you showed up, I had a piece of paper in my hand that told me my marriage was officially over, that the man I had loved would never love me again... I felt utterly alone, Dallas. That day I would have clutched at a lamppost.”
“Gee, thanks.” He held her gaze. “You weren’t alone. I was there,” he said. “Yes, I need you now, but I’ve been thinking...” He lowered his head. “You need me too.”
He gave her another moment to say no before Dallas forgot his vow to himself, forgot his bull-riding career and everything he owed Millie and Joe. His mouth met Lizzie’s, brushed across her lips, and in the same instant Lizzie’s arms wound around his neck until she was clinging. To him, not some post.
For a few bedazzled seconds the kiss went on before she drew back. “I can’t... I really shouldn’t.”
“Neither should I,” he said, and, while Dallas was trying to tamp down his disappointment and get his head together, she slipped free of his embrace. Leaving him to wonder what she was still keeping from him.
* * *
THE NEXT MORNING Elizabeth drove out to the McMann ranch. She hoped Dallas wasn’t around, or at least stayed out of sight, but he stood outside the barn, spraying a dark horse with a hose. His hat thumbed back on his head, blue eyes squinting against the hot sun, he looked up and merely stared at her.
Elizabeth lifted a hand—he didn’t answer her wave—then went on to the house. She’d come to see Clara about the rodeo. She hadn’t meant to lead Dallas on yesterday, if that was what had happened, but nothing could come of the kiss they’d shared except another personal disaster for Elizabeth. She’d already been left by one man and was trying to stand on her own; she wouldn’t set herself up for another loss. Especially with someone so temporary. Even when he’d told her, I wouldn’t do anything to harm you—or your kids.
On the other hand, she might hurt him. She’d come so close to telling him about the baby, only to freeze at the opportunity. He’d asked what was going on, but she hadn’t come up with those exactly right words she needed to say. By now her first shock had worn off, and she’d realized this baby was truly a miracle—she’d never expected to get pregnant again. She just needed to find a better moment when Dallas might be more receptive to her news. Or not. And what if, before that...she could barely form the thought...she miscarried again?
“Good morning, Elizabeth.” Clara met her at the screened back door. She cradled an apron full of eggs, which she was tenderly holding so as not to drop them. “Ten o’clock and the temperature must be in the nineties. Midsummer’s not my favorite season of the year. My poor chickens are panting.” She led the way into the big ranch house kitchen. “I have coffee, but it’s been on since before dawn—the men have finished most of it—and I’d make a new pot—” she paused “—but I was about to leave for town.”
“I’m fine, thanks. I’ve had my tea. I won’t stay long,” she promised. “I’m on my way to work, but I wanted to talk to you—I’ll be brief—about some competitions for the town rodeo Dallas is planning.”
She might have dashed his romantic hopes, if that’s what they were, but she would at least play her low-key role in his rodeo. As promised. And he’d told her Clara would be interested.
Clara set each egg in a blue stoneware bowl on the table. The warm air smelled of something delicious, as it always did on one of Elizabeth’s rare visits. Clara said, “Dallas has been working so hard on that event. After my husband died, this ranch wasn’t a working spread for too long, and I’m going to enjoy seeing it full of people and animals again beyond Hadley’s cows and those three ornery horses we bought. My, it seems forever since the county fair folded its tent and abandoned us for Farrier. What kind of competition, dear?”
“Dallas and I talked about jams and jellies, baked goods, whatever anyone wants to contribute.”
“We’d need judges, of course.” Having already included herself in the planning, Clara smiled. “I can imagine Bernice crowing over her usual lemon meringue pie. I admit, it’s good, but not as good as she thinks it is, and—” this with a wink “—I’d be willing to bet someone will knock her off her throne. Possibly me.” She named a number of other local women who were known for their baking. “A good thing Olivia’s out of town,” Clara finished. “She’d feel obligated to enter and support the community...but she’s not the best cook.”
Elizabeth, of course, knew most of those people. Unlike Clara, however, she didn’t keep track of who baked and who didn’t. And frankly, Bernice’s breakfast casserole hadn’t been that tasty. Clara looked at the back door, obviously drawn by the sounds of men working at the barn. “That is music to my ears, thanks to Hadley, his brother and young Calvin Stern.”
The last alerted Elizabeth. Did Calvin know he was about to become a father? If, indeed, she’d been correct about Becca’s symptoms. The girl had left the shop before answering her question. As hard as Becca’s situation was, Elizabeth’s was no better. At Olivia’s shop she’d kissed Dallas but shied away again when he asked what else was troubling her. What if the unthinkable did happen again? Then there’d be no reason to ever tell him.
Elizabeth focused on the tabletop. “The stock events and the kids’ rodeo are Dallas’s to worry about. I’m excited over this baked goods competition, but the PR work is more my territory. I’m glad to have your input, Clara, whatever you’d like to do.”
Clara carried the blue bowl to the refrigerator, then set the eggs inside.
“For years I lived in this house alone. I’m not one to isolate myself, so that was very hard for me until Hadley came home. I was his last foster mother.” She blinked, then sniffed. “Really, it’s my pleasure, Elizabeth, to be part of this event. I’m sure we’ll make a good team. Oh, and we’ll need a chili contest.”
“Yes,” Elizabeth said, “that was mentioned.”
The next few minutes passed in a blur of ideas traded back and forth until, finally, Clara noted the time on the kitchen wall clock. Taking her cue, Elizabeth stood up. “I won’t keep you any longer. Let’s meet soon to sort out the details.”
Clara walked her to the door. “More notions are buzzing in my head. I’ll make the calls to see what sort of possible numbers we’re talking about for entrants, and do you agree that all the entered goods should also be for sale?”
“Yes,” Elizabeth said. “More money for the rodeo and for charity.”
“Have you chosen one yet?”
“I need to talk to... Dallas about that.” At Elizabeth’s hesitation over the name, Clara sent her a look. “The first flyers should go out. Then we’ll need other advertising, local radio, social media...” As she stepped onto the porch, Elizabeth trailed off. Dallas was walking this way, his gaze on the ground that ran slightly uphill. His mood seemed the opposite of yesterday. Did he regret their kiss?
Clara cleared her throat. “Oh, dear. What’s happened? I hope no one’s hurt.” Accidents were common on any ranch, but Elizabeth doubted that was the problem.
“I believe he’s headed for me, Clara.”
“If you need help there too, let me know.” With a wave toward Dallas, which he returned, and another questioning look at Elizabeth, Clara disappeared into the house.
Stopping at the foot of the stairs, frowning, Dallas removed his hat. “I just had a call. Dusty Malone, the foreman at Wilson Cattle, got injured trying to fix their hay baler.”
Elizabeth touched
her chest. “Clara must have had a premonition. How serious?”
“He’s pretty mangled up. Not a young man either and his family isn’t well-off. They’re looking at some steep medical expenses.” Probably remembering his own accident, and rehab, Dallas caught her gaze. “Looks like we may have found our charity.”
“Oh, that’s perfect, Dallas. Yes, let’s do that.”
“I think it’ll draw in a lot of folks who want to help.” His gaze fell, and just when she’d thought he wasn’t holding a grudge after all, he said, “That’s not the only reason I came up to the house. I stepped over another boundary yesterday. Are we okay here?”
The uncertain look in his eyes took Elizabeth by surprise. He seemed always so sure of himself, confident, as she’d said. It wasn’t the kiss, then, but she could still feel the pressure of his mouth on hers, his touch on her shoulders, the warm nape of his neck when she’d wound her arms around him. They did like each other. She knew he thought of her as Lizzie, a looser version of herself. Maybe she was a bit too rigid. But at the moment he was worried about Dusty Malone, and telling him about her pregnancy wouldn’t happen now either.
She held his gaze. “We’re okay as long as yesterday doesn’t repeat itself.” Like that first afternoon at her house.
“Right,” he said, studying his boots again.
Elizabeth went down the steps. “Dallas, that may have been as much my fault as yours. You caught me in a weak moment yesterday, and I can’t deny you’re an attractive man. But this has to remain business, and a casual friendship, until you leave Barren, nothing more.” She recapped her talk with Clara as a new part of the team. “She could see the tension between us,” Elizabeth finished.
“I can keep my hands to myself,” he said. “I don’t need another lecture. Takes two people to be friends...but two for a relationship as well, which you know I’m not looking for,” he added. Had he thought their kiss over, seen her view? Or was he saving his pride? He turned on his heel and stalked off toward the barn, his last words hanging in the hot summer air. “Which should mean no problem on either side.”
Except for one. Thank goodness, it was early yet. She’d tell him about the baby...but later. When she was farther along, and the risk of miscarriage wasn’t as great.
She still had time.
CHAPTER TWELVE
DALLAS STALKED INTO the barn and found Calvin sitting on a bale of hay, staring at his phone. Dallas tried to pull his mind from the words he’d just had with Lizzie. He was seething, not in anger but frustration. Had he been too harsh with her? As Hadley had said, she was different from the sort of women Dallas usually met. Disgusted with himself, he studied Calvin.
“You’re supposed to be grooming horses.”
Calvin looked up. “I’m on my morning break. Taking care of a few things.” He held up the cell. “My—uh—truck payment was due.”
“Hadley doesn’t pay us to manage our finances during work hours, Cal. He’s been lenient with you, but don’t let him catch you.”
Calvin slowly got to his feet as if the effort was too much. He started down the aisle toward the first stall. When the kid was obviously troubled, Dallas had taken his mood out on him. He called in a friendlier tone, “Something bothering you?”
Calvin pulled a lead rope off the hook beside the stall door. “My girl,” he admitted. “Told you we have our differences and she’s not easy to read. I sure got this message, though.” He raised his head, his eyes bleak. “Becca says she’s pregnant.”
That news surprised Dallas. “Wow. What are you going to do?”
A look of horror crossed Calvin’s face. “I never said I’d marry her.”
Dallas held up a hand. “Whoa, too fast. I didn’t mean to make things worse. How do you feel about the baby?”
Calvin shrugged. “I never know what to say about stuff like that, not that I’ve ever been in this position before. When she told me, I couldn’t think how to react except to pack my gear and take off for parts unknown.” He gave Dallas a weak smile. Not serious, then. Calvin was basically a good guy. He’d likely do the right thing by her. Western men were the protective type. Dallas’s first instinct was to shelter Lizzie, not that she was his. She didn’t want to be, and considering his temporary status here, his chosen career, she was right.
“Is Becca sure she’s actually having a baby? Has she taken a test, seen a doctor?”
“That’s what I asked her. Not yet, but she’s pretty certain.”
“She must feel panicked, then, too, Calvin. You intend to stick by her?”
“Don’t know. I just found out, but what kind of father would I make? My mom didn’t know who my dad was. I had a bunch of ‘uncles’ growing up, and she had two other kids but never married. Half the time I was raising myself—guess I didn’t do that good a job, but then neither did she.”
Dallas could relate to that. He’d had a bad experience in a different way. He could be a confidant for Calvin—he empathized with him. “You had a rough deal. If it makes you feel better, so did I early on. My adoptive parents are great, so sometimes I forget that our birth family was all my brother and I had before a bunch of foster homes. Too many of them were bad news.” Locked doors and all that. He told Calvin instead about his real mom and dad, the addicts who’d left him and Hadley to fend for themselves. “Because of the Maguires, I was lucky to finally get out of foster care. My brother didn’t till he was eighteen and struck out on his own.”
“That may explain why he can be such a hardnose.”
Dallas had to smile. “Yeah, I guess, but Jenna’s fixed most of that. She’s good for him and so are the twins. Now, about you and Becca. You’ll need a plan.”
“To be honest, I’m kind of hoping it’s a mistake. Women,” he added, shaking his head. “I should have stuck to grooming horses.”
“You and me both.”
Calvin misunderstood. He gaped at Dallas. “You have a girl? She pregnant too?”
“No way!” But he guessed in his misery Calvin craved company.
For a moment today, despite his promise to himself, Dallas had felt tempted to try to shift his relationship with Lizzie from being neighbors and friends to... But he’d obviously been wrong to even taste the sweetness of her mouth. The last thing she needed was to get dumped again at the end of summer by him.
“After I bring off this rodeo in Barren,” he said, “my concern is getting back to the professional circuit.” Or, as Ace had implied during their most recent phone call, he might lose his endorsements, his sponsors, which supplied a good part of Dallas’s income. “I need you to stick around, buddy. Got you down for calf roping and the bulls.” He hoped the change of topic might lift Calvin’s spirits while he considered what to do about Becca and their baby.
But Calvin’s voice held envy. “You must see a lot of girls on the circuit.”
Dallas couldn’t deny that. “Buckle bunnies everywhere, but like I said, my mind’s on work.” He recalled Lizzie had said no benefits, and if he wanted her continued help with the rodeo, which he did, he had to mind his manners.
“I don’t know how you resist.” Calvin’s eyes lightened. “If I was a big-deal rodeo star, on the road all the time, meeting women at every Saturday night dance... Man, that would be heaven.” Clearly, he wasn’t ready to settle down, but did Becca have the luxury of time?
“Like it or not, you’re in this situation too, Calvin. Becca didn’t start this new life she’s carrying—let’s assume she is—by herself. You care about her?”
“I love Becca. She’s the best thing that ever happened to me.” Calvin switched the lead rope from one hand to the other. “I care—but for my whole life?”
“You’re not painting a very likable picture here,” Dallas muttered. Ditto, Maguire. He had the uncomfortable notion that this conversation, without the intention on Dallas’s part, might encourage Calvin to run
.
Calvin sobered. “I’m not really looking to sleep around. I didn’t mean that. It’s more that I’m scared I’ll end up letting Becca down. What would you do in my place?” he asked.
Dallas didn’t hesitate. “I’m not in your place.”
“But if you were?”
A knee-jerk image flashed in his head: Dallas’s gear bag, loaded then tossed into the bed of his pickup truck, the tires rolling, gathering speed from one rodeo to the next...prize money in his pocket for his parents, their future assured... He couldn’t think beyond that. Lizzie didn’t want what he’d seemed to offer briefly with that kiss anyway.
“Calvin, I can’t tell you. I don’t know what I’d do if...” No, don’t even consider that. Dallas wasn’t ready either. He might never be ready.
Before he could even think about a long-term relationship, he needed to repay his folks for all they’d done for him when he was a kid, try to show them the kind of love they’d always given him. Why had he kissed Lizzie, then? Ruined what they already had for this one summer?
He said to Calvin, “Talk to Becca again. Find out what’s really going on. Then when you have all the facts, make your decision. Together.”
“Our decision,” Calvin said, half to himself. He opened the stall door. “Thanks, man. I’ll let you know what we decide.”
Dallas gazed after him. Where Lizzie was concerned, because of that kiss he’d been an idiot. But at least in May he and Lizzie had used protection. Dallas always did.
He didn’t need to worry.
* * *
ELIZABETH WAS WRAPPING a Lalique vase for a customer when Jenna walked into the store. Elizabeth came around the counter to give her a quick hug. “Hey, you.”
“I was in Farrier and thought I’d stop by on my way to the office.” Jenna’s pretty face looked as troubled as it had during their Girls’ Night Out meeting. “Do you have a minute?”
