Do or Die Cowboy

by June Faver

  Leah closed the file cabinet she had been working on, and grabbing her purse and the bundle of cookies, she headed for the door. It was still bright daylight, but it looked as though some of the other storekeepers were closing too. She heard someone call her name and turned to see Sara Beth waving at her. A tall young man in a cowboy hat and boots carried the baby and gave her a wave. This must be the boyfriend. He led Sara Beth to his truck and opened the door for her. His gentlemanly gesture reminded Leah of Ty. She watched as the young man helped secure the baby in a car seat and then climbed in on the driver’s side. The picture of the three people in the truck caused an ache of yearning deep inside Leah.

  She pocketed the office keys and groped in her bag for the keys to her car. When she turned around, she saw Ty sitting casually on the fender of his truck, gazing at her with an amused expression. Her heart rate quickened just to see him there. “What are you doing?” Her voice came out all raspy. “Have you been waiting very long?”

  “Not long. I just wanted to make sure you got home okay.”

  She swallowed and stepped off the curb toward him. “That’s mighty sweet of you, Tyler Garrett, but I do know the way home.”

  “Yeah, but you might run out of gas on the way. I thought I would take you to the gas station.”

  Nodding, Leah headed to her car, but Ty fell into step beside her. He took the keys out of her hand and opened her door. When she stepped closer, he circled an arm around her waist and leaned in for a kiss. The melting from the inside out feeling washed through her. Some distant part of her wondered how he did that with just a kiss, but the rest of her was fully engaged in the process.

  His dark-lashed eyes seemed to stare right into her soul. So blue. So intense.

  He broke the spell by gesturing for her to get inside, and he closed the door. “Follow me,” he instructed, handing her the keys.

  Numbly, she nodded her head, still wrapped up in his kiss. She turned the key in the ignition and followed behind when he pulled out. A convenience store was only a couple of blocks ahead, and he turned in, pulling up to the forward pump. Leah slowed and nosed in behind him.

  “Sit tight, Beautiful,” he called and swiped a card through the self-serve pump to begin pumping gas into her car.

  She dug out the ten dollars, waving it at him, but he shook his head. After he filled her tank with gas, he filled his own with diesel, which took much longer.

  He pocketed his receipts and returned to her open window. “Do you mean to tell me you didn’t use that money for lunch?”

  “I—I brought a sandwich today.” She bit her lower lip. “And I made a friend who owns a store close to the office. She gave me cookies.”

  He huffed out a sigh. “Glad you got something to keep you going.” He smiled. “Let’s get out of here. Gracie and your grandma are cookin’ up a storm.”

  * * *

  Fern Davis realized she was happy…really happy. This was the kind of everyday happy she had felt when Albert was alive. Not the edgy, frightened, and frustrated tension she had been living with since her husband’s passing.

  The only difference was that her granddaughter had come home. And she had brought her own daughter with her…as well as a very nice young man.

  Now, this beautiful Tuesday, her beloved granddaughter had gone to her very first day of work at her brand-new job. A job she would never have landed without the reference from Ty.

  A broad grin spread across her face. A very nice, responsible young man. Ty had done his chores and gotten cleaned up to go into town. His express purpose was to make sure Leah had enough gas in her car to make it home from work.

  Fern glanced out the front door at her granddaughter, laughing and playing with the two dogs. Gracie was coming out of her shell too. She had been such a scared little thing when they had first arrived. Now she was settling in. If only she can be happy about school.

  “This will be your place someday, Gracie. You an’ your mama will always have this land. It’s your birthright.” Fern turned away from the doorway, returning to the kitchen to check on her preparations for supper. Cooking for her family gave her great pleasure. So nice to have my girls home.

  Fern set a dinner plate on top of a saucepan of mixed vegetables. She had no idea where the lid had gone or if there had ever been a lid, but the dinner plate would keep the vegetables from cooling off too quickly. When her family gathered around the table, she could just turn up the heat for a few minutes, and everything would be ready.

  She gave the old Formica countertops a quick wipe down and then folded the dishcloth over a rack under the sink. Straightening up, she smiled as she surveyed her feast. Providing meals for those she loved was one of her greatest pleasures…well, cooking the food Tyler actually provided.

  All at once, she heard a loud commotion coming from outside the house. She rushed to the door and stepped out onto the porch.

  From behind the house, she heard yelling and the sound of horse hooves pounding the baked earth.

  A man rounded the corner of the house, his loose shirt flapping behind him. A straw cowboy hat fell off and was immediately trampled by a large black horse in hot pursuit.

  “Prince!” Gracie screamed, and the dogs took off behind the horse.

  The man veered toward the road, and Prince reared on his hind legs to lash out with his front hooves. The man yelled again, threw his arms up to protect his head, and stumbled, falling on one knee. He then righted himself and ran full tilt to the caliche road leading to the highway.

  Gracie ran to Fern, clasping her around the middle, she buried her face against her great-grandmother’s shoulder.

  A vehicle motor cranked up, revved hard, and drove away with a squeal. As the vehicle disappeared in the distance, only the sound of horse hooves and barking dogs could be heard.

  Gracie lifted her head, gazing anxiously toward the road. In a matter of minutes, they heard hooves clip-clopping at a slower pace.

  Lucky and Eddie raced up to the porch, tails wagging, apparently satisfied with their part in the pursuit.

  Prince appeared, wearing his outrage like a shroud. He danced a bit, lifting his hooves high and bringing them down hard. Nostrils flaring, he bobbed his head, sending his magnificent mane flying. He approached the porch, slowing, then pounding one hoof on the bottom step. His reins dangled loose.

  “Prince,” Gracie said, her voice soft. She raised one hand and took a couple of steps toward the horse. “It’s all right, boy.”

  “Be careful,” Fern whispered.

  Gracie reached out to stroke the horse’s nose. He nickered, and then she stroked his neck. “Good boy. You’re okay.”

  Cautiously, Fern approached and grabbed the dangling ends of the reins. “Easy, boy,” she whispered. Wrapping the reins around a post, she made sure they were securely fastened.

  Gracie, however, was still rapturously stroking Prince and talking to him in loving tones.

  Fern let out a little snicker. “I swear, Gracie. I think that horse is sweet on you.”

  * * *

  Leah followed behind Ty in his big red truck.

  Her gas gauge was pointing all the way over to the right, showing how very full it was, thanks to his generosity. She had never experienced such caring or kindness from any living creature, except perhaps her grandparents, and they never had anything tangible to give. Every time she considered this unrequested and probably undeserved outpouring of compassion and benevolence, she experienced a tearful tingle and had to blink fast to keep from drowning in her own waterworks. Nope! Time to stop bawling and get my life together…for Gracie and for Ty. She swallowed hard. And for me. I need to grow a pair of big ones.

  When Ty turned onto the caliche road leading to her grandmother’s little ranch, she realized she had accomplished something that day that hadn’t happened in some time. She had done a day’s work for a day’s
pay. She hadn’t been able to work for a while, and it felt good to be back in the habit of earning a living, supporting her daughter, and now she would be pitching in to help Gran with finances. One day down, three more to go. It was Tuesday, so she would get paid for only four days on Friday, but a paycheck was a paycheck.

  Her insides were soaring, like a helium balloon, but she immediately put a clamp on her inflated emotions. She knew she was falling in love with Tyler Garrett, and he would break her heart in just a short time. He had his own destiny to fulfill. Even though he was acting like her personal hero, she had to gut up and save herself…for Gracie…for Gran. She pressed her lips together. For me.

  When they arrived at the house, Gracie was sitting in the old wicker rocker on the porch, flanked by Eddie and Lucky. Ty’s big black stallion was tied to the porch railing. All four perked up and assumed an air of expectation as Leah and Ty parked and climbed out of their vehicles.

  “Mommy!” Gracie shouted, and Eddie wagged his tail in greeting.

  Leah pulled the scrunchie out of her hair as she approached the porch and rotated her shoulders to relieve the remaining tension.

  Ty frowned and made an all-inclusive gesture as he strode to the porch. “What’s all this? Did you take Prince out for a ride, young lady?”

  Gracie laughed. “No, it was the man.”

  Leah felt her insides go cold. “What man?”

  Gran stepped out onto the porch, wiping her hands on a dish towel. “I think we was almost the victims of a horse rustler.”

  Ty gave an incredulous look, shaking his head slightly. “Care to elaborate?”

  “Gracie an’ me heard this ruckus, an’ a man come tearin’ around the side of the house, runnin’ for his life.”

  Grinning, Gracie clapped her hands. “And then Prince came running after him. The man was screaming, and he dropped his hat right over there.” She pointed to where a straw hat lay crumpled in the dirt. “Prince was really mad. He chased the man away.”

  Gran’s eyebrows rose up almost to her hairline. “I thought fer sure they wuz both gone, but then we heard a car or truck start up and go roarin’ off down the road. Your horse chased him for a while.”

  Ty’s brows almost met in the middle. Turning, he stomped to where the crushed hat lay. He picked it up and inspected it before bringing it back to the porch. He stroked his hand over Prince’s back and flank. “So how did he get tied up here?”

  Gracie’s dimples were working overtime. “Prince came right back here, and Gran tied him up. We’ve been watching him so nobody comes to steal him again.”

  Ty shoved his Stetson back on his head, regarding Gracie with interest. “So that’s how it is. You ladies did a good job of taking care of him.” He turned to Gran. “Did you recognize the man? Was it one of the Carters?”

  Gran shrugged. “Coulda been. He was about the right size, but I didn’t see his face. An’ he was wavin’ his arms in the air, tryin’ ta keep Prince from kicking him in the head.”

  A muscle in Ty’s cheek twitched, revealing his inner turmoil.

  Leah could barely breathe. “The man…he didn’t hurt either of you?”

  Gran let out a bleat of humor. “Hon, that man was a-runnin’ for his life. I don’t think he was a-thinkin’ about nothin’ else but gettin’ outta here.”

  Ty untied the reins and led the horse toward the barn. “I’m going to see what happened in the back. I don’t know if the barn is going to be secure.”

  Leah handed her purse to Gracie and hurried after him. “I’ll go with you.”

  His grim expression softened. “Sure. I’m just concerned that some thug came here when we were both gone. It just doesn’t feel right for Gracie and your grandmother to be here by themselves.”

  She slipped her hand into his. “I know. I was feeling so good about starting my new job.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t even ask you how your first day on the job went.” Ty reached out and hauled her closer, managing to massage the muscles holding her head on her shoulders.

  Heavenly! She exhaled. “It was great. Nothing much happened except for me trying to make heads or tails out of a very weird filing system. Mr. Ryan is very nice. He went to have lunch with his wife and never came back.”

  Ty flashed a wide grin. “His wife is the local doctor. Between them, they own a lot of land around here.”

  “Really?” Leah considered this news. “Is she any good?” She would have to use her first paycheck to take Gracie in for a checkup and make sure her wrist was healing properly.

  “Yep. She’s great. Trained in Houston at the big medical center. Nice lady.” Ty quit ministering to her shoulders and gestured to the barn, its doors standing ajar. “Well, so much for security.”

  Once inside, Leah could see nothing out of the ordinary. She trailed behind Ty as he led Prince to the open stall. He made a guttural sound in the back of his throat. “What a mess. It looks like Prince put up a fight.”

  The expensive saddle Ty had carefully arranged over the side wall of the stall had been knocked to the ground. Prince’s feed and water were strewn about.

  “Damn! I’m going to have to clean up this mess. Why don’t you go on back to the house and spend some time with Gracie? I’ll be there in a while.”

  “Can’t I help you in some way?”

  He leaned down to plant a kiss on her lips. “Let me change clothes, and then I can work off the boiling in my gut.” He looped Prince’s reins around a post and gestured for her to turn around.

  She nodded and retraced her steps back to the house.

  Gracie was waiting for her on the porch and opened her arms for an embrace. “I missed you, Mommy.” Both dogs huddled nearby, wriggling in ecstatic wags.

  Leah felt a clutch in her chest. “Aww. Did you have a good time here with Gran? I mean, before the man came?” She squatted down to her daughter’s level, amid dogs wagging and panting gleefully. “I heard you had been helping her cook.”

  Gracie’s face split into a wide grin. “I helped Gran make potato salad and coleslaw,” she said and then frowned. “I was just scared.” She assumed a stage whisper. “That…you know who…that he might get you.” She glanced up, over Leah’s head, and then blinked and looked away. “I’m sorry, Mommy.”

  Leah hadn’t heard Ty approach. Her chest felt as though a boulder was crushing it. She couldn’t look at Ty. She was afraid he was judging her. What kind of mother lets her child be fearful of a real-life boogeyman? “Don’t worry. We’re safe here.” She reached for the screen door and ushered Gracie inside without ever raising her gaze to meet Ty’s.

  He stood on the porch like a statue, glowering after her.

  She observed him from the corner of her eye as she greeted her grandmother and said nice things about the aromas coming from the kitchen.

  Ty remained standing on the porch, staring in through the screen, his hands fisted on his hips. It was difficult to ignore the force of his gaze.

  * * *

  Ty shook his head. Who is this guy she’s running away from? Could she be married? The thought hit him like a semi barreling full speed down the highway.

  He remembered how she looked when he first laid eyes on her. Like she was running from the devil himself. Gracie too. He’d never seen a kid look so downright scared.

  He was already simmering with anger over the attempt on his horse. Now the festering kernel of anger roiled his gut.

  Tyler Garrett didn’t get mad very often, but when he did, he was a force to be reckoned with. His dad had always sent him off to do some major chore where he had to work off his anger.

  “You’d best put that bad temper of yours to work, Son,” Big Jim would say and set him to riding fence or slopping the hogs. Anything to work off the brewing maelstrom.

  Now, he felt as if anger were about to choke the life out of him. He swallowed ha
rd and tried to catch his breath.

  What if Leah was married? Surely, she couldn’t kiss him with such passion if she was bound to someone else? But she sure had Gracie carrying on the subterfuge. He recalled how the child had glanced up at him and then away, as though there was a big secret and he wasn’t allowed to know it.

  Well, all right, Little Missy. If you think you can keep your secrets, you’re wrong. He considered his options. Somebody would tell him. Surely, all three females couldn’t hold on to a secret long if he was determined to learn the truth.

  Ty huffed out an irritated growl and unbuttoned his western shirt. He stripped it off and draped it over the back of the rocking chair on the porch. His T-shirt would serve as a work shirt while he was cleaning up Prince’s stall.

  He was aware, with every step he took, that he was more upset with Leah for keeping secrets from him than he was over the attempted theft of his horse.

  With shovel and rake, he cleaned out the stall and spread fresh hay. Then he removed the reins before refilling the water trough and feeding Prince the pricey sweet feed. “Good boy,” he muttered, giving the horse’s neck a few pats. He closed the stall and lifted his saddle back onto the railing.

  “Okay, now the next problem.” He secured the barn and headed for the house.

  His cell phone sounded. He pulled it out of his pocket and checked the caller ID. Huffing out a sigh, he felt a momentary irritation, but it was probably because he was already irritated with Leah. “Hello, Beau. What’s going on?”

  “Hey, Ty,” his younger brother greeted him. “I was just wondering what was going on with you.”

  Ty walked to the far end of the porch and took a seat on a dusty wicker rocking chair. “Not much. How are things on your end?”

  A silence hung heavy between them.

  “I’m okay,” Beau said finally. “I was just hoping you might be on your way back home.”

  Ty let out a snort. “Why would you be hoping that?”