Lookin' for Trouble (Honky Tonk Angels Book 6)
Page 100
And they were making money hand over fist so why would Cooper be willing to pull out?
It didn’t make sense. He tried to come up with a reason and got lost in his own thoughts. It wasn’t until he saw the sign announcing Cotton Creek was only five miles ahead that he came back out of his own mind.
Since he was this close, he figured he might as well make a stop at the local grocery. He was almost out of coffee.
Just then, he saw the sign. For Sale. Without even thinking why, he slowed and pulled off the road to read the details.
Fifty acres with a house, two barns, paddocks and a live stream. On a whim, Riggs turned pulled back onto the road, then made the turn onto the drive leading into the property.
*****
Cody grabbed a bottle of water from the cooler. The Honky Tonk Angels’ tent had been set up for most of the day for the Labor Day celebration at the lake, and she’d barely had five minutes free, they’d had so much business.
“Hey, Miss Sweet.”
Cody turned at the sound and smiled. The Weathers twins, Dawson and Briggs, stood there grinning at her.
“Well, hey there, fellas. Damn, y’all grew another two inches this summer. Haven’t seen much of you. What you been up to?”
“Mostly working with Uncle Jayce and Bryson,” Briggs answered.
“Well, then I guess you’ve been busy as one-armed paper hangers.”
Both boys laughed. “Yeah. But it’s been good,” Dawson said.
“So you’re already back in college?”
“Yeah, just home for Labor Day,” Briggs answered, then frowned as Riggs walked over and leaned down to give Cody a kiss on the cheek.
She smiled and grabbed Riggs’ arm. “Briggs, Dawson, this is Jaxon Riggs. He works for Cotton Creek Oil with your Uncles Jasper and Bronson. Riggs, these are the Weathers’ twins. They’re home from UT for the weekend.”
“I know who these men are,” Riggs said, smiled and stuck at his hand to Briggs, who stood the closest to him. “Briggs Weathers. Played nine games last year, one of about four freshmen to ever play that many games in a season. Forty passing attempts and thirty-four completions. Passed three hundred and fifty-seven yards, twenty-two yards average attempt, two interceptions and eight passing touch-downs.”
Briggs grinned and shook Riggs’ hand enthusiastically. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Riggs.”
“Call me Jax. Or—” He cut a look at Cody. “Riggs if you prefer.” He then looked at Dawson.
“And Dawson Weathers. Damn man, what aren’t you leading in? You killed it in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and receiving touchdowns.”
Dawson smiled as he shook Riggs’ hand. “We had a real good year.”
“That’s an understatement. The way I hear it, you’re already being scouted by several NFL teams.”
“We are, but Dad said we need an education as much as we need to make the majors, so we’re staying where we are until graduation,” Dawson said. “After that…well—”
“After that they can have us if they come up with the cash,” Briggs said and laughed.
“I hear ya, brother,” Riggs agreed. “And your father’s a smart man. Listen, it’s an honor. I’ll be watching. Right now, let me help the folks at the other end.”
“Sure. Nice to meet you,” Briggs said and was echoed by Dawson.
“Same here.”
Cody smiled at the twins as Riggs left.
“So, you and him?” Briggs asked in a low voice.
“Something wrong with that?” she asked.
“Isn’t he kinda…” Briggs looked around and leaned a little closer. “You know. Old?”
Cody chuckled. “Not for me.”
“Well, he is pretty cool,” Briggs said.
“Yep. So, you fellas hungry?”
“Always, but we just got out of the water and don’t have any cash on me.”
“Your money’s no good here anyway,” she replied and turned to yell at Hannah and Bryson, who were putting together plates. “Hannah? How about putting together a couple sandwiches each for these guys, with the works.”
“You got it!” Hannah looked their direction, smiled and waved. “Hey guys!
“Hey, Miss Sweet,” they spoke in unison, laughed and blushed.
Cody poured them each a large soda and passed the take-out containers with the food to them when Hannah yelled it was ready.
“You guys enjoy your weekend and don’t be a stranger when you’re home for the holidays, okay?”
“We’ll come by and see you. Promise,” Briggs said. “Thanks for the food.”
“My pleasure. Tell your family hey.”
“We will. See ya, Miss Sweet.”
“Cody! My Cody!”
A smile bloomed on Cody’s face at the sound of Bernice’s voice. She looked around to see KC walking toward the booth, carrying Bernice.
“Hey there, pretty girl,” Cody greeted her. “What have you been doing?”
“KC teach-ted me to hold my breff and go unner water.”
“She did?” Cody grinned. “Well, that’s fantastic.”
“You about ready to take a break?” KC asked. “Mama and Daddy are passed out under the canopy and I was kinda hoping to hang out with my friends for a while.”
Cody checked the time. “Cade and Roxy are supposed to be here in just a few minutes to take over, so just leave Bernice with me.”
“You sure?”
“Yes. Thanks for watching her KC. I owe you.”
“No you don’t. She’s a really sweet kid.” KC gave Bernice a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Okay, I’m gonna leave you with Cody now but I’ll see you later okay?”
“Okay. Me lubs you.”
“Me lubs you too.” KC was just about to hand Bernice to Cody when Cody’s eyes widened, then almost immediately narrowed to near slits.
“Get Bernice back to Mama and Daddy. Now.”
KC didn’t argue, to her credit. She just picked Bernice up, turned and ran.
Cody saw the way Belinda looked at KC and Bernice and for a split second, wondered if Belinda would follow KC. She didn’t. She merely tugged on the hand of the ratty-dressed guy with her and headed straight for Cody.
“Where’s that little whore going with my baby?”
Cody didn’t even try to stem her anger. “That’s my sister you’re talking about so you might want to think twice before you spout out another lie like that.”
“Whatever. Where’s she taking my brat?”
Cody felt Riggs’ hand on her shoulder but she shook it off and circled around the table to face Belinda. “Where’ve you been?”
“You’re not too fucking bright are you? You know where I’ve been.”
“Obviously not.” Cody looked at the guy with Belinda. “He doesn’t look much like a doctor and the last I heard, you were in the hospital.”
“Hospital?” The ratty guy laughed and swayed. “Yeah, we played some fucking good doctor.”
“So, it was all just a lie?” Cody asked, taking a step toward Belinda.
“I don’t know what the fuck you’re getting on your goddamn high horse about? It’s me that should be pissed. You’re trying to keep my kid away from me.” She looked around and yelled. “Everyone hear that? She’s trying to keep my kid from me. Fucking two-faced bitch.”
“Belinda, tone it down,” Cody said and reached for her as Belinda wobbled as if she would fall.
“Don’t you fucking touch me!” Belinda slapped Cody.
She had heard people talk about seeing red, but it had never really happened to her. Until now. Cody saw Belinda draw back as if she were going to deliver another blow and acted without thinking. She batted Belinda’s arm away with her left hand and punched her right in the gut with her right fist.
Belinda doubled over, grabbing onto Cody for support, wheezing and gasping for breath. The man she was with bellowed, “You fucking bitch,” and tried to take a swing at Cody. He didn’t get far. Riggs laid him out with one punch to the face.
“Hey now, break it up.” Tom pulled Belinda away from Cody. She tried to take a swing at him, but he basically had her by the back of the neck and stayed her motion. “Now, what’s going on here?”
Belinda started screaming about Cody trying to keep her kid from her and what a bitch Cody was and how she was just a dying woman trying to take care of her child. At the same time, other people who’d witnessed the altercation chimed up. It was bedlam until Tom shouted. “Enough!”
He looked at Riggs. “What happened?”
“She”—Riggs pointed at Belinda—“showed up drunk with the guy on the ground. Called KC a whore and accused Cody of trying to steal her child. She then attacked Cody.”
“You fucking liar!” Belinda screamed at him.
“I said enough of that.” Tom released her neck.
As he reached for his handcuffs, Belinda dove at Cody again. “You fucking bitch!”
“To hell with this.” Cody didn’t care what trouble might result—she was sick and damn tired of being called names. As Belinda came at her, she punched her right between the eyes, saw those eyes roll back in Belinda’s head and watched her body drop. Cody then raised both hands. “I’m done.”
Tom gave her an annoyed look. “Okay, you.” He pointed to Riggs and Bryson, the latter of whom stood behind the booth with Hannah, watching. “Help me get them in the squad car.”
“You’re arresting them?” Cody asked.
“I’m taking them in. Do you know where their vehicle is?”
“No. I mean, she borrowed my truck.”
“You have the tag number?”
“No.”
Tom got on his radio and asked the patrol officers to run Cody’s truck, get the plate number and look around to see if it was there. By the time they had Belinda and her male companion loaded into Tom’s cruiser, an officer radioed in that he’d located the truck,
Cody and Riggs accompanied Tom. She got one look at her truck and groaned. The right front panel was crunched, the headlight broken and bumper bent. The driver side was missing the rear view mirror and the back left panel looked like someone had backed the truck into a brick wall.
The inside of the truck was equally distressing. There were empty beer bottles—nearly a dozen—along with one empty liquor bottle lying on the floorboard.
The floorboard was littered with cigarettes that had been thrown down and ground out. The seat had numerous burns and even the dashboard had scorch marks that looked as if someone had put out cigarettes on it.
Tom shook his head. “Okay, I’m adding open containers to the list of creating a public nuisance, drunk and disorderly and driving under the influence. Do you want to press charges for the damage to your truck?”
“No.”
“You sure?”
“I’m sure. Thanks Tom.”
He headed back to his car and Cody turned to look at Riggs. “What the heck is wrong with her?”
“I don’t know. Never met the woman until today.”
Cody looked at her truck and then back at him. “I’m trying real hard to give her the benefit of the doubt. I mean if it was me and I had a little girl and was told I was going to die—well, I don’t know. I guess I’d be pretty screwed up. Scared and worried and—and maybe that’s enough to make a person go a little crazy.”
“Your sister’s right about you.” Riggs took her hands in his.
“Hannah? What’s she say?”
“That you’ve got a bigger heart than anyone she knows.”
“I don’t know that Belinda would agree after I punched her lights out.”
“She had it coming.”
“But she’s right about one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“I did send KC away with Bernice to keep Bernice away from Belinda. I don’t think it’s good for her.”
“You did that out of love, honey. Not malice.”
“I do love that little girl.” Cody pulled her hands free so she could step close and wrap her arms around Riggs. “And that scares me some.”
“Why?”
“Because if Cooper’s her father and Belinda dies, he’ll send her away to live in some boarding school in Europe. She’ll be this little kid all alone with no family and that’s just wrong. So wrong. And if Belinda doesn’t die—well, you saw her. That’s no way for a kid to grow up. It’s just not fair.”
“You can’t save everyone.” Riggs hugged her.
“That’s not fair either.” She held onto him for a while, long enough to get her emotions under control. Then she pulled back. “But for today, I can make life good for that kid, so what do you say about helping me?”
“Just tell me what you want.”
Cody smiled. Riggs might claim to be a loner, and he might have been for most of his life, but he darn sure was a man willing to give help and caring to folks in need.
“Did you bring shorts?”
“I did.”
“Good.” She grinned. “Then let’s get changed and take Bernice swimming. She said KC taught her how to hold her breath under water.”
“Sounds good.”
Cody offered him a hand. He took it and they started back for the Honky Tonk Angels booth. Cody tried not to let it show, but she was really worried about what would happen when Tom let Belinda out of jail.
Would Belinda stay with Cody because she didn’t have anywhere else to go or would she take Bernice and leave? Cody could be honest with herself and admit that she didn’t care if Belinda took off and never came back.
But she did care about Bernice. Way too much for her own good, she feared.
*****
Riggs turned his head to watch Cody step up onto the back porch of the ranch house. Today had been a time of revelations and he’d welcomed the short period of solitude she offered after putting Bernice to bed. She wanted to go check on a pregnant mare.
He’d offered to accompany her but she’d told him to have a beer, kick off his shoes and relax. It was nice tonight so he’d opted to sit on the back porch and let his thoughts wander.
All day he’d watched her, running her booth at the lake and interacting with the people who stopped by. He lost count of the number of free meals she gave away. It was pretty clear that anyone who was down on their luck could count on Cody and her sister to fill their bellies and, from appearances, soothe their woes with friendship and compassion.
She was pretty remarkable and it was obvious that the people of Cotton Creek loved her. Which explained why so many of them gave him what she called the stink eye. He assumed they thought he wasn’t nearly good enough for her.
They were probably right.
He’d chuckled more than once, remembering the way she’d waded into Belinda. Damn if she wasn’t a feisty little thing, ready to take on the devil if she thought she was protecting someone she loved.
And it didn’t take 20/20 vision to see that Cody loved that little girl Bernice. He’d watched her when he’d carried Bernice in and placed her on the bed. Cody had whispered and soothed with voice and touch as she got Bernice into her pajamas and tucked in with her favorite stuffed animal.
The love she gave Bernice touched something inside him, something he didn’t think had ever been activated. He found himself imagining that he was watching her with their child. That honestly threw him for a loop.
He’d not thought about having children for twenty years.
When his first marriage had failed and then his second, Riggs figured he wasn’t marriage material. And if you can’t provide a home with two parents to love and care for children, then in his mind, you shouldn’t have children. Life was hard enough without going through a miserable childhood.
Cody would make one hell of a good mother. H
e could see that and it woke that old buried longing inside him. He told himself to forget it. The days of that being in the cards were long gone.
Now he watched her mount the short flight of wooden steps, toe off her boots and cross the porch to him. She took the beer from his hand, lifted it to her lips and took a drink. Then she handed it back to him and stepped between his legs to lean down and run her lips over his.
“How’s your horse?” he asked.
“She’s fine.”
“You like working here don’t you? On the ranch.” He set the beer on the floor beside the wicker loveseat and put his hands on her waist to guide her onto his lap.
“I do. It keeps me in touch with nature and the earth and helps me stay grounded. And I like the quiet and solitude.”
“But you also love working the bar.”
“Yep.” She smiled and ran one hand through his hair. “I like feeling all that energy and making people smile and laugh, seeing low spirits lift for a little while and watch high spirits bring others up.”
“There’s a certain dichotomy to your nature.”
“There is to most people.” Her hand continued to comb through his hair gently.
“You’re remarkable.”
She stopped and she looked into his eyes. “I told you, you don’t have to flatter me. I’m yours as long as you want.”
Those words widened the crack, allowing dreams he didn’t dare to dream to escape. “What do you want?”
She took his hand and placed it on her breast, keeping her’s on top of his. “I want to feel your hands on me. I want you to touch me, to take until there’s nothing left and then I want to wrap myself in you and feel you breathe as I sleep.”
“There’s nothing I want to do more, but—I need to say something to you.”
“What?”
“I…I’m not good at this, but it’s important that you know. I have feelings for you. You’re not just a woman who—”
“Don’t.” She put her finger to his lips.
“But—”
“No.” She shook her head. “You can’t ever say those thing to me unless you say them knowing that here is where you’ll be, where you’ll stay. If the day comes that you’re ready to be mine forever, then tell me. Otherwise, please don’t say it.”
“But…” He sincerely wanted to tell her that he had deep feelings for her, that she made him want to change.