Howdy, Ma'am

by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel

  “We don’t have dessert, but I can bring you a sweet drink.”

  “No thank you. You see, my cowboy here told me you have dessert. I think he was pulling one of his satirical tricks on me.”

  The waitress looked closely at Caulder and smiled.

  He winked at her with a huge grin on his face. When he looked back at Velia, she wasn’t smiling. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but it’s so much fun to tease you. I couldn’t resist.”

  Velia perused the look in his eyes. “You know what they say about paybacks?”

  “No, what?”

  “You’ll remember when the time comes.”

  “Well, is it safe to assume you have a touch of the devil inside you?” He reached for her hand again.

  “Could be. I’ve been told a time or two.”

  Caulder had an amazing smile. It lit his whole face. A white line beside his right eye showed when he turned his head just right, and a lighter scar along his jaw showed against his smooth skin. Even his eyes smiled. His teeth gleamed against his tawny coloring. She remained mesmerized by his looks until she was distracted by the server when she brought the check. They both reached for it, but Caulder tugged it away from her.

  “Care for dessert in a real dessert place?”

  “I think I’ve had enough silly teasing for one day. I have an afternoon shoot, so I need to go home and prepare my equipment.” She picked up her purse and took out a notepad. “Are we still on for dinner Thursday?”

  “Yeah, I’m looking forward to dinner at your place.”

  She scribbled down her address and handed it to him.

  “I’ll try to leave my jokes at home along with my boots.”

  “Your boots will be fine.” She smiled. When she stood she grasped his hand. “Thank you for dinner tonight.”

  Caulder stood beside her and slipped his hand to the small of her back as he escorted her out.

  “I can see my way to the car. You don’t have to come.” She said it but still felt comfortable with him walking beside her in the lonely lot.

  “I wasn’t raised to let a woman walk through a dimly lit parking lot alone. Wasn’t born in a cornfield, you know.”

  Velia turned. “No, I didn’t know. So, you’re quite a gentleman. Don’t we sound like a good pair—the devil woman and the gentleman?”

  For some reason Caulder must have thought her joke funny. He stopped walking along side her and dropped his hands to his knees. He laughed so hard he almost fell over. “I’ll ask my dad to name a bull after you, devil woman!”

  “Oh, thanks. How nice.”

  He stopped laughing long enough to get to her car. He opened the door and motioned for her to roll the window down. “You’re sort of a comedienne yourself. See you Thursday. Good night, Ms. Armano.” He patted her hand as it rested on the window.

  “Think you can find the place?”

  “I’ll Google it. I can actually use a computer. If Google don’t work, I’ll use my GPS.”

  Velia smiled as she started to roll up the window. “See you then.” He waited until she backed out before leaving. Velia watched him through her rear-view mirror. “Hmm, quite a stud you are, Caulder McCutchen.” I talk to myself too much.

  Chapter Seven

  Velia rode with Lonnie in his rental car because they’d be riding back with her father. They arrived at the airport in Tucson before her father’s flight, found a coffee shop outside the main terminal, and waited for his arrival. She was still uncomfortable about seeing Justin. The last time they talked, he wasn’t happy. Jessica gave no inkling on the phone about being with her husband. Of the few people she put her trust in, Jessica happened to be one of them. What a bitch! Maybe she deserved what she’d eventually get from Justin. No! No one deserved abuse.

  Had he been to her apartment at Edward and Alice’s, watching? This would be the first time she’d see Justin since she left. How would he react? How would she react to him? If only this could be done without having to see him face to face. But then she saw her father coming down the ramp, and a smile lit her face. She ran and wrapped her arms around him.

  “Angel, it’s good to see you.” He held her an arm’s length. “You look beautiful today.”

  “Thank you for coming, Dad.”

  “I’m glad to be here.” He shook Lonnie’s hand and patted his shoulder in a man hug then turned back to her. “Maybe I can intimidate Justin a little.”

  Two other men walked up behind him. “Mr. Armano, we called for a car.”

  “Thank you, Roy. You must remember my daughter Velia.”

  “Of course. The little girl the restaurant was named after.”

  Ric Armano turned to the other man with them. “Nero, meet my daughter, Velia.”

  He shook her hand. “A pleasure to meet you, Velia.”

  “Likewise, Nero.”

  “So you’re the reason for Little Velia’s? Best Italian restaurant in Chicago.”

  “I know!” She beamed, so proud of the restaurant and the fact it was named after her. “My parents named it after me, but I’m not little anymore.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Hmm, there goes that ma’am again. She wondered why all of a sudden everyone called her ma’am. Thirty-two wasn’t old!

  On the way out, her father took her arm and walked close. Over his shoulder he spoke in Italian to the two men, “She doesn’t get out of our sight while we’re here.”

  “Yes, sir.” They spoke in unison as they escorted Ric, Lonnie, and Velia to the limo.

  “Hello, Mr. Armano. I’m available for you while you’re here.” The driver, dressed in the typical black suit and starched white shirt, held the door.

  “Thank you.” The five of them got in and the driver shut the door. They headed for the hotel in Tucson where she, her dad, and the men would be staying. Where was Justin staying?

  * * *

  Velia dressed in casual black pants, mint green blouse, and a short leather blazer. Her heels were low, and she pulled her long hair away from her face but let the waves cascade down her back. She walked into the courtroom with her dad, Lonnie, Roy, and Nero, her head held high.

  Justin sat three rows from the back. He wore a dark suit. If her memory was correct, it was the same suit they got married in. Her eyes rested on Jessica and her stomach lurched. Her dad took her elbow and escorted her to the row behind on the opposite side. “This way I can keep an eye on him, and her.”

  Justin came over to the end of the row. Roy stood immediately to block him from getting closer.

  Velia rose, resting her hand on Roy’s arm. “I’ll see him.” Roy looked at her father and got his approval before allowing her out.

  They walked toward the door, but Mr. Armano gave the signal and Nero immediately joined them.

  “I’ve missed you so much. Please come back home. Don’t do this.”

  “Justin...”

  “I’ve changed, Vel.”

  “I’m not going back home with you. I’m going through with the divorce.”

  “I’ve changed. Please believe me. Trust me.”

  “I haven’t been able to trust you in a long time,” Velia whispered. “You used me as a punching bag. I’ll never go through abuse again. You’ll never hurt me like you did before. If my father knew the things you did to me, well, be lucky he didn’t know it all. As far as Jessica...” She couldn’t continue.

  “I’ve fucking changed!”

  Velia took a step back. “It’s over, Justin. Go on with your life as you told Lonnie you wanted to do.” She started to walk by him, but he took her arm and pulled her back against him. Nero pushed him back against the large wooden door as inconspicuously as he could, breaking Justin’s hold on her arm. The courtroom guard looked their way.

  “Come home with me right now, or I’ll deck you right here and drag you outta here by your hair.”

  “You’ve got nerve. My father is right there, and his men will take you out in a heartbeat. How dare you!”

  “They c
an’t watch you all the time. And neither can your cowboy.”

  Nero leaned into him, as his elbow found a direct path to his floating rib. “Don’t count on it.”

  Justin coughed when he brushed past them and walked over to where his lawyer sat. He waved his hands and pointed his finger at Justin, obviously upset. Jessica scooted away from him and sat quiet with her head down the whole time.

  “My cowboy.” She glanced at Nero. His protective eyes scanned the room. Velia went to sit by her father. “He knows about the cowboy.”

  “What cowboy?”

  Velia rubbed her temples with the pads of her fingers. “Oh, I didn’t even tell you yet. I have a new job.”

  “Velia, darling—you love photography and you’re good at your job.” Then he paused and with a stern look on his face, he asked, “What cowboy?”

  “The job and the cowboy go together. I’ll be following a bull rider around on a tour and photographing everything he does.”

  “On the road again?”

  “Pops, it’s the chance of a lifetime.”

  He smoothed a lock of hair behind her ears. “You haven’t called me Pops since you were a child.” He put his arm around her. “I worry about you… A cowboy?”

  “I’m a big girl.”

  “What about him?” He nodded toward Justin. “I can loan you Roy for awhile.”

  “I can’t have Roy follow me around like a scared puppy.”

  “Why? He practically has all your life anyway. You just didn’t know it.”

  “I knew it after awhile.”

  Court came to order and Velia stood beside Justin in front of a judge who granted a divorce. “You take what you have…” She pointed to Velia. “And you take what you have,” she said, pointing to Justin. “Call it even.” Was it Velia’s imagination, or did the judge really glare at Justin. “Get out of her life.” The last words the judge said before declaring a legal divorce. Velia walked out on her father’s arm with the three men surrounding them. They got in the limo and drove to the hotel.

  “I don’t want you going home alone.”

  “I’m not alone. I have dear Alice and Edward. We watch out for each other. Besides I take the gun class this weekend. I’ll buy a gun and learn how to use it.”

  “A lot of other things come into play when owning a gun. You have to be able to shoot to kill, or don’t bother at all. Can you? Especially with Justin?”

  “I’m not going to kill my ex-husband.” Ex-husband sounded odd. It would be hard to get used to saying, although she already used it often when referring to him, but now it was real.

  “Roy will escort you home and make sure the place is safe. My daughter is not going to be put at risk. Neither are the people you live with.”

  “But I’ll be okay.” A sudden flash of the harm Justin had already done sent a chill down her spine. Memories surfaced of her head bashed into the wall, his hands around her neck, and the bruises on her face. “Okay, Roy can accompany me back home. But only for a little while.”

  “You call it home. Home?” He patted his chest with both hands. “I want you to come back home.”

  “I’m an adult now. I’m not moving back home.”

  “Not necessarily home with madre and me, but home to your home town. A place where people love you and you don’t have to live with strangers.”

  “I’ll be fine, and when you meet Edward and Alice, you’ll see what I mean. They’re a lovely couple. I’ll see about moving back to Chicago after my tour is up with Caulder. Maybe.”

  “So, he has a name I see.”

  “Yes, Caulder McCutchen.”

  “It might be better for you to be out of town for awhile anyway. Not being in one place might work to your advantage.”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  “When does this tour start? You will be coming home for the holidays?”

  “Um, I don’t think so. I don’t know really. The tour begins in February, but I’ll hook up with Caulder sometime the last of January. We’ll go over details and he wants me to meet with his publicist. He’s an up and coming star. This can be a great chance for me to make a name for myself.”

  Her father rested his hand on her shoulder. “Ti auguro buona fortuna.”

  “I will have good luck. Thank you for your well wishes, though.” Velia hugged him and he pressed her head against his shoulder with his big hands. “Ti amo, Velia.”

  “I love you too, papà.”

  Roy spent the night on the sofa in Velia’s apartment. She figured her father must have called and made arrangements with Edward about letting him stay. She hoped the arrangement didn’t frighten either of them. What she didn’t know was how long Roy would stay. She had a shoot to do tomorrow and had to get things ready for her dinner with Caulder. Would Roy be around for dinner?

  Chapter Eight

  “You’ve been away from your family for two days, Roy. You need to get back to your wife for Christmas.”

  “I’ll leave when I get permission from your father. He wants you protected.”

  “This might be unnecessary. Maybe Justin is going to settle down with Jessica. He’s probably back in Chicago.” Her stomach turned when she thought of her ex-best friend.

  “He grabbed a hold of you right in front of your father. What if we weren’t there?”

  “Then I’d have another bruise. Nothing new.”

  “The new would have been your father seeing it. You shouldn’t have kept it from us all those years.”

  “It wasn’t all those years, Roy. You know what my father would have done.” Velia peered right into his eyes. All the time she grew up, they thought their family secret was a secret—her dad had protection—men who would do what he asked. After watching a couple of the Godfather movies, she figured out what Roy did. Then she started paying more attention. When she met Justin and he hit her the first time, she knew not to tell her father. Justin probably would have been dead by now. “I know what you do, Roy.”

  “Miss Velia, let’s not go there. You know we don’t mention things I do. Rest assured your father loves you and only wants to protect you.”

  “I know, but…” She decided to stop there. “I’m having company for dinner tomorrow night. Should I set a place for three?”

  “I love your cooking. Might as well.”

  “So you’ll be going shopping with me. You can tell me what you want then. Let’s go.”

  Roy followed her downstairs. He went ahead of her to open the door and step outside first, his hand immediately going inside his jacket. “So much drama.” She rolled her eyes and went out behind him.

  “Don’t make fun of my cowboy tonight. He’s my next job.” Roy smiled at her words. “You know what I mean. My job as a photographer?”

  He nodded but still smiled. “Miss Velia, you’re starting to sound a lot like me.”

  * * *

  Velia waited for Caulder downstairs. She wanted to explain Roy. How could she explain Roy?

  “Send Roy down here to watch basketball with me. He doesn’t have to ruin your dinner with Caulder,” Edward whispered in her ear as he walked by.

  “Oh, Edward, I have a feeling you’d rather have Caulder down here explaining his bull riding talents.”

  “True, but I didn’t think I could take him away from you.”

  “You must not forget he is only my job, my boss so to speak. It’s not a date.”

  “What’s not a date, dear?” Alice handed Edward a cup of chamomile tea.

  “I tried to tell Edward, Caulder is only my boss, not a date.”

  “I see.”

  “Alice, you don’t believe me either?”

  “Of course I do.”

  The knock saved Velia from more details. She ran to open the door, but Roy grabbed the knob first. She tossed him a heated glance and crossed her arms in front of herself in rebellion. When he opened the door a crack, Justin lunged in, swinging a baseball bat. Roy seized his arm. “No you don’t, asshole!”

  Velia’s eyes
widened, her voice shrill, “Justin! No…”

  Justin shoved Roy back against the door and jerked out of his grip.

  “Die, bitch!” He struck Velia across the face mid-swing, with the tip of the wooden bat. “Die!”

  She flew backward and landed hard on the foyer floor. As Edward rushed to Velia’s side, he pushed Alice to safety. He kneeled beside Velia’s unconscious, bleeding body and then leaped up and dialed 911. “Alice, get my goddamn gun!”

  Justin swung around to leave but bumped into a .357 Magnum pointed at his head.

  He attempted to make a move, but Roy kicked his feet out from under him.

  “You might as well call yourself dead, asshole.” He lifted him up by the arm and twisted it behind his back. Sirens screamed in the distance. Roy nodded to Edward. “I’ll take him out back and wait for the police to arrive.”

  Caulder started to knock, but the door opened, and when he saw Velia on the floor, he dashed to her side. “What the hell happened?” He smoothed blood-soaked hair away from her eyes, seeing a blue black knot on the side of her face. She was bleeding from a deep gash and her cheekbone was beginning to swell. “Somebody get me some ice. Hurry, dammit!” Police sirens came closer. He pressed his palm over the wound to help stop the bleeding. “Who the hell did this? Why would someone hurt her?”

  “Her ex-husband rammed his way in with a goddamn baseball bat! Roy’s got him outside.” Edward took a deep breath and stuck his gun in the drawer of the end table. “The police are here now.”

  He wrapped his arm around Alice’s trembling shoulders. “It’s okay, sweetie.” He tried to get her to the sofa.

  “No wait.” She handed Caulder the bag of ice. She knelt as well as her porous, old bones would allow. “Oh, dear God. Will she be okay?” She pleadingly looked to Caulder for an answer. “Is she going to be all right?” Alice took Velia’s hand and peered at her body lying on the floor, Caulder at her side with ice against her bloody cheek.