A week ago, she could have answered that question, but for the last few days, when she sat at the keyboard, her story seemed to be pulling her in different directions, completely disregarding her careful outline. “You’re sweet to show an interest, but me swearing at my computer and hitting Delete a lot isn’t that exciting. Hardly the adrenaline rush of, say, bull-riding.”
“You’ve heard about my rodeo wins?”
“Heard about, did some light internet stalking. Potato, po-tah-to.” She cast him a sidelong glance. “You set some impressive records.”
He smiled wistfully. “I’m sure someone else will break them soon enough. My rodeo days are behind me. I’ve been lucky as far as injuries go, but with the boys depending on me, it’s wiser to minimize my risks.”
“Will you miss it?”
“Sometimes. I loved it, but life on the circuit was grueling. It might be nice to stay in one place for a little bit. Even if that place is Cupid’s Bow.”
“Hey!” She felt as if she should stick up for her hometown, but she knew he must be haunted by bad memories here. It couldn’t have been easy for him to come back, and she admired that he’d done what he thought best for his adopted sons.
“At least the barbecue here is great,” he conceded as they reached Main Street.
The Smoky Pig did a thriving lunch business.
Observing the stream of people entering the restaurant, Grayson asked, “Think we’ll even be able to get a table?”
“You’d be surprised. Half the people coming in are picking up to-go orders, and the Boyd family—the owners—made efficient use of the space inside. I’m always impressed by how many diners they can seat. Plus, there are tables on the covered patio out back.”
Sure enough, it only took the hostess a few minutes to find them a table. And the waitress materialized with superhuman speed. You have got to be kidding. Hadley stared at her sister, kicking herself for ever telling anyone about her lunch plans.
Ignoring Hadley’s telepathic promises of retribution, Leanne smiled at Grayson. “Well, hi there! We haven’t met. I’m—”
“Leanne Lanier,” Hadley said. “My sister. Who doesn’t work on Tuesdays.”
Leanne’s expression was all innocence. “Someone called in sick.”
“Uh-huh. I’m going to need a name. And a signed doctor’s note.”
“I see your imagination has taken a turn toward paranoia,” Leanne scolded lightly. “Because I love you, I’ll overlook that and bring you a sweet tea and a brisket plate.”
It was Hadley’s favorite thing on the menu. Plus, the sooner they concluded ordering, the sooner her sister would stop intruding on her lunch. “Fine.”
Across the table, Grayson added, “I’m Grayson, by the way. You can make that two teas and brisket combos. Oh, and a side salad, please.”
As her sister walked away, Hadley huffed out a breath. “Wonder which one of them will report back to my mother first—Leanne the snoop or Bunny the oversharer. Honest to heaven, you’d think I’d never had lunch with a man before.”
“We should do something scandalous to give them a better story.”
Her gaze snapped back to him, her face heating as her imagination supplied several scenarios for scandal with Grayson. “L-like what?”
“No clue. I was just talking off the top of my head. You have any ideas?”
“Not a one,” she lied, willing her cheeks to cool.
“I gather it’s been a while since you...lunched with anyone?”
“Mom says I’m too picky.”
He made a derisive sound low in his throat.
“What the hell did that mean?”
“You weren’t ‘too picky’ to date Reggie George. Sorry. I know it’s none of my business, but the two of you in high school? I never got it.”
She’d known Grayson and her former flame didn’t exactly see eye-to-eye, but she was surprised by the hostility in Grayson’s voice all these years later. “Boy, you really don’t like him, huh?”
“After my mom left, he made second grade a living hell for me, and didn’t let up until graduation—although he got better at disguising it to avoid detention.”
Hadley frowned, comparing Grayson’s description to the boy she’d known. “He could be obnoxious sometimes.” Especially with his friends, who egged him on. “But I saw a different side of him. We ran in to each other at the library sophomore year, and he asked for my help with a project. He was really worried about his grade. Seeing him so vulnerable, when he wasn’t trying to impress his friends, felt like a secret he’d trusted me with. And he was so grateful afterward, really sweet.” Had she, the longtime bookworm mostly ignored by boys, been too ready to overlook his faults just because the popular boy had noticed her?
“We broke up shortly after graduation,” she said. When she screwed up her arm, his initial sympathy had given way to impatience. He’d wanted to spend his last summer before college partying, not comforting a girlfriend whose dreams had been dashed. She darted a glance around, making sure her sister wasn’t in earshot. “At the time, Leanne was in a really toxic relationship. She gave up too much of herself and was miserable. Maybe Mom’s right and I did go through a ‘picky’ phase. But I wanted to protect myself from making a mistake. Then after Mom’s stroke, I was so busy helping Daddy take care of—”
“I didn’t know she had a stroke. Is she all right?”
“She is now.” Thank God. Hadley had been alone with her mother when it happened, and it had been the scariest day of her life. “She has some lingering balance issues, and her speech still slurs when she’s tired, but she’s doing so much better.” Despite her mother’s successful recovery, there was a tremor in Hadley’s voice when she discussed it.
“You’re close to your folks, aren’t you?” His pensive expression was hard to read. Was he missing his own parents?
“Yes. The silver lining of—”
“Sorry the drinks took so long.” Leanne appeared with their sweet teas. “Crazy-busy lunch rush. But your food will be up in just a sec.”
True to her word, she returned quickly with their plates. Grayson inhaled deeply, groaning in a low rumble of pleasure. He took a bite, closing his eyes for a second to savor it.
“Can I stay,” Hadley asked, “or do you and the brisket need a moment alone?”
He grinned sheepishly. “Damn this is good.”
“Agreed. Maybe one day I will see the world—or at least Colorado—but I can’t imagine finding better barbecue anywhere.”
“What’s in Colorado?”
“A picturesque little bookshop. The owner was inspired by a place he visited in Paris, where they offer a writer-in-residence spot to aspiring authors who agree to work on their craft a certain number of hours a day and also agree to shifts in the store. He set up a similar program. There’s a committee of five people, and they pick two writers a year. The shop actively participates in several literary festivals, so if you’re selected, there’s some nice publicity. Leanne convinced me to send in my work for consideration. It’s a total long shot.”
“You never know. The committee has to pick someone. Why not you?”
“Spoken like a reasonable person who doesn’t suffer from irrational self-doubt.”
“Don’t bet on it. Since the boys came to live with me, I’ve had plenty of experience with self-doubt.”
“How are they settling in?”
“So far, so good—Vi is the most nurturing person I know—but they’re not looking forward to school next week. I was registering them with the administration office before I came to pick you up.”
“You know, if they’re apprehensive, they might find your presence reassuring. If you can manage it once or twice, volunteer to chaperone a class party or a field trip. Or just go in to be mystery reader one afternoon.”
“Mystery reader?”
She nodded. “Most of the younger grades have a ‘special guest’ come in every other week to read a story. Sometimes it’s a local official, like the mayor or the sheriff, but it’s usually a class parent. The kids get a kick out of trying to guess who it will be, and you’d only be there a few minutes.”
“I’ll look in to it. Thanks, Hadley.”
It was stupid that his saying her name curled her toes. It was just her name. People said it all the time. But Grayson’s voice, combined with the grateful look he was giving her...
A full second passed with their gazes locked, no one saying anything, and Hadley found it thrilling.
From the way Grayson suddenly jerked back with a frown, he did not. “I appreciate any school advice you have for making this easier on the boys. They’re my priority. My top priority,” he said with emphasis. “I’m sure rodeo won’t be the only thing I have to give up.”
“Dating, you mean?” The twinge of disappointment she felt was idiotic. Hadn’t she predicted exactly that to Leanne?
He nodded. “It was difficult enough to fit around my schedule when I was just a bull rider. But now that I’m a... Now that I have bigger responsibilities,” he amended.
Obviously, he was still trying to adjust to the idea of being a parent. She didn’t blame him. She kept her voice light, hoping to erase some of the tension in his gaze. “When you go to school PTA meetings, you should probably bring Violet with you. As soon as the single moms get a load of you—and how great you are with the twins—you’ll need a human shield to ward off play dates and welcome-to-town casseroles.”
His dimples appeared. “Are you saying I’m irresistible?”
She couldn’t help grinning back. “Let’s just say, if you go to the reunion Saturday, I don’t think you’ll have any trouble keeping your dance card full.”
“Reunion?”
“Our high school’s ten-year reunion. This weekend. Didn’t you know?” She knew his mind had been on more important matters recently, but class representatives had been sending out social-media notices for months. Had he really not stayed in touch with anyone from their past?
He ran a hand through his hair. “Ten years? Wow. That went fast.”
“Yep. An entire decade.” She tried to quell the sense that she should have more to show for it.
“Doubt I’ll make the reunion,” he said.
“Well, I’ll be there. If you change your mind, come say hi.”
“I appreciate it, but the past... I’d rather focus on the here and now, trying to make a life for me and the boys.”
“How’s the job hunt going?”
“I have a few leads—construction’s the most promising—but nothing that will allow me to get a place of my own anytime soon. Aunt Vi has done so much for me. I hate feeling like I’m taking advantage of her kindness.”
“She doesn’t see it that way. The reason people knew about you coming back was because she told friends. She was excited. You’re her family.”
“Her only family,” he agreed grimly. “Unless you count my mother, which I don’t. She didn’t even come back for my grandfather’s funeral. Hell, maybe she didn’t even know about it, but Vi could have used the moral support.”
He reached for his sweet tea. “Sometimes I think the very things about Cupid’s Bow that make me crazy are why Violet loves it here. I hated that when my mom left, when my dad died, everyone knew. Pity and speculation were inescapable. But Vi seems to take sanctuary in the sense of community. Like she’s created her own extended family.”
Hadley understood. “I have a love-hate-love relationship with the place myself. When I got my softball scholarship, I felt like the whole town was proud of me. And when that fell through, I felt like I’d let people down. I’ve often thought about how liberating it must be to live in a big city, where I could be anonymous. On the other hand, so many friends and neighbors pitched in when Mom was in the hospital.” There was that tremor in her voice again. She swallowed. “Plus, I love my job. When folks come into the library, I already know what to recommend, what they’ll enjoy. I like the familiarity, the sense that I have a purpose.”
“Well, I can’t speak for all the library patrons, but I know those dinosaur books you sent home with us made two little boys very happy. Thank you.”
She beamed at him. “There might be one other thing I can do for you, nonlibrary-related. My friend Sierra is getting married in a couple of months, and her fiancé is Jarrett Ross. You know him? He was a year ahead of us in school and a rodeo champ after that.”
“Our paths have crossed once or twice. He dropped off the circuit, what...two years ago?”
“He quit competing to help run his family’s ranch, but now that he’s planning a wedding, he might be able to use some backup. It wouldn’t be a full-time gig, but it could help you save up.”
“Couldn’t hurt to ask. And I miss being around horses. If I make a good enough impression, I could even talk to him about discounted riding lessons for the boys.” His smile was bittersweet. “Their dad had planned to teach them eventually.”
Leanne approached the table. “How’s everything over here?” It was a perfectly normal question for a waitress to ask, but the way she peered at Hadley implied she was inquiring about more than the food.
This is the thanks I get for helping her with biology? “We’re fine.” Go away.
“Save any room for dessert?”
Grayson’s eyes lit up. “I always have room for dessert.”
“How about we give up our table here,” Hadley suggested, “and walk down to Howell’s Bakery? Bunny likes it when I bring her back cinnamon rolls.” As a bonus, Hadley didn’t have any nosy relatives that worked at the bakery.
“Fine by me,” Grayson agreed.
Leanne scowled but rallied quickly. “I’ll be right back with the check.”
Buzzing came from inside Hadley’s purse, and she pulled out her cell phone. “Speaking of Bunny... If she’s interrupting lunch, she probably has a computer question.” The woman knew the library like the back of her hand but was still struggling with last week’s software update. “Hey, Bunny. Hang on a sec.” To Grayson, she said, “Mind if I step outside, where there’s less background noise?”
“Go right ahead. I’ll pay and join you in a minute.”
“Okay. Dessert’s on me,” she said as she climbed out of the booth.
“Sorry to interrupt your hot date,” Bunny said once Hadley was outside. “It’s this dang computer again.”
“Good. I mean, not good that the computer’s giving you trouble. But I’m glad you aren’t calling for some stupid reason like asking about my date.”
“Of course not. I’m a professional. Besides, I plan to grill you about that when you get back.”
* * *
GRAYSON HAD NOTICED a few heads turn as Hadley walked outside; some people seemed to be speculating on their lunch date. But there were a couple of cowboys who were just plain appreciating the view. He’d had the oddly possessive urge to stomp over to their table and demand, “What the hell are you looking at?” Except he knew. They were enjoying the swish of Hadley’s hips in that dress. She had a gorgeous body, curvy and soft but still hinting at her athletic past.
She was undeniably enjoyable to look at. But more than that, she was enjoyable period. Aside from his aunt or the Stowes, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d found it so easy to talk to someone.
“You know, if you want to tip me a little extra, I could be bribed to put in a good word for you.”
Grayson whipped his head around to find Leanne grinning at him. How long had she been standing there with the bill while he sighed over her sister?
He cleared his throat. “Happy to tip the waitress who brought me the best food I’ve had in years, but there’s no point in singing my praises to her. Hadley and I are just old c
lassmates. Friends. I’m not looking for anything more.”
“But the two of you looked so... Are you sure? My sister is the best person I know.”
“She’s terrific,” he agreed. “My hands are just a little full right now.”
From the sudden sympathetic gleam in her eyes, he knew she’d heard about the boys. He quickly handed her a few bills. “Keep the change.” Then he was on the move, away from any questions about his new status as a single dad or further suggestions that he pursue Hadley romantically. Cupid’s Bow—home of world-famous barbecue and unsolicited opinions.
“Bryant?” A silver-haired man in his path stopped and stared, slack-jawed. But he shook his head almost immediately. “Apologies. Bryant Cox is dead, of course. But you are the spitting image of him. Grayson?”
Shifting his weight, Grayson nodded uncomfortably. In most of his memories, his father had bloodshot eyes and a furious scowl twisting his features. It had never occurred to him that they looked alike.
“It has been too long, son. Ned Garcia. I worked at the store with Bryant, remember? You may not recognize me with all the wrinkles and gray hair.” He patted his head. “But at least I have the hair. Many of my friends have gone bald.”
Ned Garcia? One of the two men who’d pushed Bryant out of his own store? After a displaced Bryant took a shift at a bottling plant outside of town, his only interactions with Ned had been blatantly hostile. Grayson remembered some shouting on the front lawn and at least one finger gesture. What am I supposed to say? Nice to see you? Screw over any business partners lately?
“Congratulations on keeping your hair,” Grayson said stiffly. “I don’t mean to be rude, but there’s a lady outside waiting for me, so...”
“Go, go. But you come by the store soon and see me, okay?”
That was about as likely as lying down in the middle of a stampede for a nap. “Have a nice day, Mr. Garcia.” Grayson strode away from the older man and from the ugly memories of his father’s face contorted in rage as he railed that the people in this town were out to get him. A lot of those people still stood between Grayson and the door.
The Cowboy's Texas Twins Page 6
