Texas Twist (Texas Montgomery Mavericks)

by Cynthia D'Alba

The picture of that satanic baby bull at the entrance to Olivia’s ranch flashed in his mind. God, he hated bulls. He was going to have to deal with Mitch and their joint business one day, but not today.

  “I don’t know. Soon. Listen, I need some help. Some bastard dumped a puppy at my front door a little while ago. He looks hurt. Are we still using Mabee as our vet?”

  “Yep, but he’s not back yet from his honeymoon. Dr. Brian is covering. It’ll be the end of the week before Mabee is back. Call Dr. Brian. He’ll meet you at the clinic.” She gave him the phone number.

  As she predicted, Dr. Brian told Cash to bring the puppy on by and to use the rear door to get in the clinic.

  There were times Cash hated being a Montgomery, like when his parents would get anonymous phone calls telling them, “I saw Cash smoking,” or “I saw Cash drinking,” or “Saw Cash drag racing out on Strawberry Hill Road.” But then there were times, like now, when being a Montgomery had its benefits.

  A beat-up Ford truck was backed in behind Whispering Springs Animal Hospital. Cash parked and carried the still-shaking dog into the building. Getting the puppy into his truck had been a problem. The poor thing had cried as soon as Cash had set him on the seat. The sorrowful wailing had broken his heart but strengthened his resolve to find this guy a good home. Maybe the vet would know of someone looking.

  Dr. Brian was an older man, well past the retirement age. White-haired. Wrinkled face. Thick glasses. But his eyes softened as soon as he saw the pup.

  “Thanks for meeting me,” Cash said.

  “Glad to, son. At my age, it’s good to have something to do.”

  Cash set the shivering puppy on the exam table. “I don’t know anything about him. Some sonofabitch—sorry, Doc—some person dropped him at my house.”

  “I agree with you,” the older man said, his eyes taking on a hard stare. “I hate people who dump animals.” He stroked down the dog’s back. “Hey, little guy. What’s going on?” His voice was gentle and calming and the puppy responded to the tone enough that the shaking slowed.

  The doctor listened to the dog’s heart, drew blood, took a fecal sample and performed an examination. When he left the room to run the lab tests, Cash picked up the puppy and held him in his lap until the doctor returned.

  “Well?” Cash asked.

  “All in all, he’s pretty healthy. No heartworms. Heart sounds good.”

  “What about his leg? Why is he limping and holding it off the ground?”

  “It’s not broken. I think we’re looking at a ligament strain. He’ll be fine in a few days. While you’re here, we should go ahead and do his vaccinations and license.”

  “But I can’t keep him,” Cash protested. “Don’t you know anyone who’s looking for a dog?”

  The vet shook his head. “Sorry, no. You can take him to the county pound. He might be adopted from there.”

  “And if he isn’t?”

  Dr. Brian hesitated.

  “They’d kill him, right?”

  The vet shrugged. “It’s sad, but we have a huge overpopulation of unwanted cats and dogs. There’s only so many that are adopted or can be cared for.”

  Cash pulled the dog closer. “I’m not letting some SOB kill this puppy after all he’s been through. Go ahead and give him all the shots. I’ll find him a good home.”

  “Okay. I can do that. Does he have a name?”

  Cash looked down at the puppy that was looking up at him with large brown eyes. “Buster.”

  By the time Cash and Buster got back into his truck, Buster had a new collar, leash, license, rabies tag, puppy chow, bowls, heartworm medicine, a dog crate and an orthopedic dog bed, and Cash was four-hundred dollars poorer.

  It’d been an expensive Sunday and the day wasn’t over yet.

  When he drove down the Singing Springs drive, he was surprised that Paige hadn’t made it home from church yet, not that he cared one way or the other.

  He and Buster parked at the rear of the house. As Cash took up where he’d left off in his stair rebuild, Buster played in the yard, never venturing far from Cash.

  He worked until four-thirty, leaving himself plenty of time to put away all the tools and get a shower before heading to Travis and Caroline’s for dinner. Buster remained affixed to Cash’s side. When he moved, the puppy moved. What was he going to do with Buster while he was gone tonight?

  He scooped up the dog and headed for the shower. Both of them needed one, so not to waste the water, Cash decided to do both of them at one time. When they got out, he borrowed a couple of clean towels from Paige’s stash, drying Buster and then himself quickly. He’d hoped if he waited long enough, Paige would get home and keep an eye on Buster, if she wasn’t too pissed about the puppy. He’d make sure she understood the dog was just temporary.

  By five-forty-five, he had to leave and Paige still wasn’t home.

  “Well, Buster. How’d you like to meet my family?”

  The puppy licked Cash’s chin. No way was this guy going to the pound.

  He rolled up to Halo M ranch at six p.m. as instructed. Travis and his first wife, Susan, had built a large classical Southern ranch house with white pillars and a wraparound porch. After Susan died, Travis had stayed in the house, and even though he’d told the entire world he’d never marry again, Cash was happy for his brother that he’d found Caroline Graham.

  The front door opened before Cash could get out of his truck. His sister-in-law stood in the doorway, a newborn in one arm and a bright smile on her face.

  “Come on in,” she said.

  “Am I the last one here?”

  “Nope. Still waiting on Jason and Lydia. Who’s that with you?”

  “This is Buster.” Cash gave her a peck on the cheek. “You are looking great. How do you feel?”

  “Thanks. I feel like a won a lottery.” She looked at the dog. “Buster?”

  “I hope you don’t mind. I didn’t know what else to do with him and I didn’t want to cancel. Someone dumped him at Singing Springs today and he’s just so young and scared.”

  “I don’t mind. How old is he?”

  “The vet says about three months.” He followed Caroline into the house carrying the dog in his arms. “You want a puppy?”

  She shut the door behind them and laughed before giving him a hug. “Nope.”

  “Hey!” Travis boomed as he walked to the front door. “That’s my woman. Get your own.”

  Cash laughed. “You married down,” he told Caroline.

  “I know,” she said with a grin. “But what could I do? He knocked me up.”

  Travis slung his arm around his wife and leaned over to nuzzle the baby’s head. “Best thing I ever did.”

  Caroline rolled her eyes. “The rest of the family is in the living room. Your mom and Olivia are in the kitchen. They won’t let me step a foot in there.”

  The aroma of yeast rolls wafted down the hall.

  “Mom made rolls?” When Travis nodded, Cash slapped him on the back. “I’ve been craving those.”

  “Who’s this?” Travis asked as he and Cash walked away leaving Caroline talking to Olivia’s husband, Mitch.

  “This is Buster. He’s temporary,” Cash said. “Dumped at the house today. He was so scared, I couldn’t leave him alone.”

  Travis rubbed the dog’s long, floppy ears. “Looks like he’s got some hound in him.”

  “You want him? He needs to find a home.”

  Travis answered with a loud laugh. “Sorry. Two new babies. Remember?”

  Cash followed Travis to the makeshift bar in the family room.

  “What can I get you?” Travis asked.

  “Crown and Coke.”

  Travis turned away to fix the drink and then handed a glass with ice and a still-bubbling soft drink to Cash.

  He took a sip. “I think
you forgot something.”

  “No, I didn’t,” Travis answered.

  Cash narrowed his eyes. “I asked for Crown and Coke.”

  “You don’t need Crown.”

  Cash sat his drink on the bar, trying to reign in his rising temper. “You don’t get to say what I need. I don’t have to give up booze just because you were too weak to handle it.”

  Travis took a sip of his diet soda. “Do you think for one second that I would have a wife like Caroline and two children if I’d kept on swimming in that bottle? Of course not. I didn’t decide to give up booze. I decided to live. You’re not an alcoholic, Cash. Not yet. But, baby brother, you’re on your way.”

  Cash’s flash-fire temper roared to life, but before he could say anything, his other brother stepped up, probably to give him a little more hell. Wasn’t that what older brothers were good for? Harassing younger brothers?

  “What are we talking about over here?” Jason asked. “You both look a little tense.”

  “Nothing important,” Cash said.

  At the same time, Travis said, “Cash’s drinking problem.”

  Cash glared at him. “I don’t have a problem.”

  Jason shrugged. “I don’t know, Cash. You were pretty bad the other night.”

  Cash wheeled to face him. “That was one night, damn it. One fucking night.”

  “Not from the reports we heard along your trek home from the hospital,” Jason said.

  “What? Did you have spies in every bar between here and Las Vegas?”

  “Didn’t need to. The tabloids did a pretty good job documenting most of your drunken benders.”

  The loud, harsh exchange between the brothers had the dog shaking. Nuzzling against Cash’s forearm, Buster pushed his head under Cash’s elbow and into his armpit.

  Mitch Landry stepped up on Cash’s other side, five-month-old Eliza Grace Landry cuddled in his arms. “Getting a little loud over here, and my little girl doesn’t like it. Looks like the puppy doesn’t either. Do I need to referee?”

  Travis shook his head. “Nope. I was just explaining to Cash how lucky I am to have Caroline as my wife…not to mention two awesome kids.”

  Mitch nuzzled the top of Eliza Grace’s head. “I know. I can’t believe Olivia and I have two now.” He looked at Jason. “When are you and Lydia stepping up to the plate?”

  “Good question,” Cash said, glad to have the discussion off him. He ran his hand down Buster’s back in long strokes. “It’s okay,” he cooed. “No reason to be scared.” He glanced toward Jason. “Where is she anyway?”

  “She was on call, so she stayed at home. Plus, she felt like this was for family so…”

  “Awww,” Cash said. “Trouble in Loverville?”

  “No.” Jason picked up the drink Travis had placed in front of him. “We’re fine.”

  “Hmm,” Travis said. “How long have you two been together? Four years? Six?”

  “Five.”

  “And engaged what? A year? Two years?”

  Jason shrugged. “Maybe a little over two years. Why?”

  The three other men exchanged glances.

  “What?” Jason said.

  “You may not realize it yet, but you’ve got a problem.”

  “No, I don’t.” Jason puffed out a disgusted sigh. “Lydia just wanted to wait until her practice was established.”

  “How about another drink?” Lane Montgomery said as he joined his sons.

  “Sure, Pop,” Travis said, reaching for another liter of regular Coke on a shelf under the bar.

  “This is Buster,” Cash said before his dad could ask. “I’m trying to find a home for him. You looking for a pup?”

  His dad shook his head. “Nice looking hound but nope. Not looking.”

  “Austin wants to join all the other Montgomery men,” Caroline said, handing a wrapped newborn to her husband. “Oh, and of course Miss Eliza Grace. Speaking of which, where is Adam?”

  “Home with Magda. They had big plans for pizza and Disney movies.”

  Caroline grinned. “Do you want to put him to bed? Or I can,” she said, extending her hands.

  “I’ll do it,” Travis said, snuggling the bundle close to his chest.

  She shrugged. “Go for it. If I can get Britney away from your mother, I’ll put her down too.”

  Cash watched the interaction between Travis and his wife and the way his brother clasped his son tightly to his chest. Travis was a different man. Calm. Happy. Sober.

  For the first time, Cash wondered if his brothers were right…but no. He didn’t have a problem with booze. Did he?

  Of course not. He’d show them. He could do without booze.

  He turned to Mitch. “Now, I don’t think I have had the pleasure of being introduced to my new niece.”

  Mitch unwrapped his daughter to show her off. “This is Eliza Grace Landry. Eliza Grace, this is your Uncle Cash.”

  Cash slipped the loop of the dog leash over his wrist and set Buster on the floor. He held out his arms and Mitch passed Eliza Grace to him. “Hey, sweetheart. I’m Uncle Cash, the fun uncle, unlike your Uncle Travis and Uncle Jason. They’re the mean uncles. I’m the one you come to when you need anything.”

  Travis laughed. “What he means is, he’s the one she’ll come to when she gets in trouble.”

  Jason snorted his agreement.

  “Don’t you mind them, Eliza Grace.” Cash held her tiny body snug against him and let the fresh scent of baby powder fill his senses. That she was so small, so defenseless against all the hurts in the world, made him feel overly protective about the small baby. He remembered Adam at this age. Time was certainly passing.

  Or was it that life was passing him by?

  He glanced at his brother and then at Mitch. “I feel sorry for the first boys who show up to date your daughters.”

  Travis shrugged. “Not a problem. Mitch and I have a plan, right?”

  Mitch laughed. “Yep. Like the country song says, I’ll be sitting on my front porch just cleaning my gun. It’ll get a message to the rest of them.”

  Cash shook his head. “Don’t you worry,” he told the sleeping infant in his arms. “Your dad will come around.”

  “Better hand her back,” Mitch said, extending his arms. “I promised Olivia I’d put her to bed before we ate.”

  Over dinner, the conversation turned to Caroline’s time off.

  “I’m sure Lydia is going to miss you, dear,” Jackie said to her daughter-in-law. “How’s the temporary doctor working out?”

  Caroline shook her head. “He didn’t. He wanted to do things differently than how we do. Just couldn’t get into our system. He’ll be leaving at the end of next week, which is why poor Lydia had call again this weekend.”

  “What’s your long-term plan?” Olivia asked.

  “I’m going back to work in eight weeks.” Caroline reached over to rub her husband’s neck. “And this one’s not happy about it.”

  “That’s because you don’t have to work,” Travis groused.

  “I love Whispering Springs Medical Clinic. I love my work. I love the staff. I have wonderful patients. Of course I’m going back to work.”

  Travis lifted his wife’s hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “I know and that’s the only reason I’m not putting up a fight with you going back. And I know Lydia won’t let you work yourself too hard either.”

  “But that’s temporary,” Jackie said. “I understand the clinic is drawing patients from out in the rural areas too.”

  Caroline nodded. “True, but so much of what we see is repetitive problems like upper-respiratory infections or immunizations. We decided to add a nurse practitioner to the staff. We thought about advertising and pulling someone in but we hated moving someone here. If they don’t fit or click with the clinic personnel, eve
rybody’s got a problem. The person who moved. Us. The staff. But we got lucky this week. You all know Paige Ryan, right? She was accepted into a nurse-practitioner program in Dallas. She’s local and determined to make this her home.” Caroline looked around the table with a bright smile. “She starts work at the clinic tomorrow. Her classes don’t start until the fall so we thought some real-world experience would be beneficial, not to mention we need the help.”

  Cash choked on the sip of water he’d just taken. “Paige? My Paige?”

  “Your Paige?” Travis asked with a lift of his eyebrows.

  “No, no. Not like that,” Cash hurried to say. He looked at Caroline. “We are talking about the woman I’m sharing Singing Springs with, right?”

  “That’s right.”

  “But why would she want to settle in Whispering Springs?”

  “To be near her brother, would be my guess,” Caroline said.

  “Her brother?” Cash’s brow furrowed in confusion. “What brother?”

  “Leo Mabee,” Travis said.

  “Leo Mabee? Of Leo’s Bar and Grill?” Stunned didn’t quite describe Cash’s reaction to the news. “She and Leo are siblings?”

  “Well,” Jackie said, lifting her wine to take a sip before she continued, “as I understand it, Leo is her half-brother. Same mother. Different fathers.”

  Cash leaned back in his chair. “I had no idea. Wait. Isn’t Leo the nephew of James Mabee, our vet?”

  Travis nodded. “Yes. James’s sister married his best friend from vet school. That’d be Paige’s dad.”

  “How come nobody told me all this?”

  A collective shrug went around the table.

  “Why would we?” Olivia said. “You were long gone on the PBR circuit when James moved to town. I don’t know why Paige’s parents didn’t mention anything, but do men even talk about stuff like that?”

  “Not me, honey,” Mitch said, draping his arm on his wife’s chair. “Now, if you want to talk cattle breeding, I’m your man. Or sex. I’m your man there too,” he said under his breath but loud enough that the ones sitting closest to them heard.

  Olivia punched his shoulder with a giggle.

  Cash took another drink of water, his mind whirling with implications. Did Leo know about Paige and Cash? And if he did, why hadn’t he beaten Cash to a pulp?