by June Faver
Parking in front of the lawyer’s office, he sat for a moment, gripping the steering wheel with both hands. What to say? How would he tell her goodbye? He knew their new intimacy had made her even more vulnerable than she was before.
He hauled himself out of the truck and shut the door harder than necessary. When he stepped through the door, he found her totally absorbed in her work of sorting papers. “Hey, Leah.”
She looked up, startled and then pleased. A wide grin spread across her face as well as a slight flush. “Oh, Ty. I wasn’t expecting you.”
He swept the Stetson off and raked his fingers through his hair. “I just needed to talk to you, if you have a moment.”
She pushed back from her desk, arranging the papers in neat stacks. “Sure. What can I do for you? I just learned how to draw up a will.”
Emitting a halfhearted laugh, he spread his arms as she drew closer. Walking straight into his embrace, she seemed to fit just right, the top of her head barely grazing his jawline. He closed his arms around her, feeling a stab of real pain when her arms wrapped around his waist. Damn! Damn! Damn! This just feels too good. He kissed her temple, and when she raised her chin, he grazed her lips. “I’ve got something to tell you.”
She grinned up at him expectantly. “Tell me anything,” she said breathlessly.
“Oh, baby. This is going to be difficult.” He swallowed hard. “I’m leaving. I’m on my way to Dallas, but I wanted to tell you goodbye.”
Her face looked frozen. He could see the pain in her eyes, and he thought she had stopped breathing. “I’ll be back, but I don’t know when.”
She gulped, and her lips turned up in a fake smile. “Oh well. I knew you were leaving. It was nice to have you around. I…uh…” She sucked in a breath. “I hope you have a great trip.”
“Look, Leah…I…we…” He faltered, gripping her against him. “I don’t want you to think you’ve seen the last of me, because I’ll be back.”
She nodded furiously. “Yes, I’m sure you will. I’ll see you the next time you’re in town.”
A knot of anger festered in his chest. “Leah, stop it. You’re acting like I’m about to disappear forever, and that’s not the case. I—I care about you.”
Pressing her lips together, she nodded again, but this time, she was blinking fast and not looking at him. “I know. It will be all right. Go on. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” She blinked again and fixed him with a dazzling smile.
He leaned down for a kiss and then another. Her arms came around his neck, and the kiss deepened until he couldn’t tell where he ended and she began.
She drew back, tears spangling her lashes. “Be safe.” Stepping away, she turned and grabbed a sheaf of papers. “I better get back to work.”
“I’ll see you,” he said softly. Jamming the Stetson back on his head, he strode to the door and made his exit. Outside, he drew a deep breath, standing for a moment with his hands fisted on his hips. She doesn’t believe me. She thinks this is goodbye.
He climbed into the truck and started it, the diesel engine rumbling to life. For a moment, he considered rushing back inside and asking her to come with him, but only for a moment. Leah was just getting her life together. The job was probably the best she would ever find. He wanted to comfort her, but he also needed to get on the road. She’s just going to have to understand. This is something I’ve got to do. Heaving out a sigh, he put the truck in gear and headed out of town.
Chapter 7
Leah stood as if frozen, gripping a handful of papers to her breast. She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t think. She couldn’t feel.
The sound of the diesel motor starting up ripped into her soul like a chainsaw. If her feet could move, she might have ran outside and begged Ty to stay, but that was not an option. He had already given his time and energy to helping her and her family in so many ways she couldn’t keep track of them. Now, she had to be strong enough to let him go.
She willed her taut muscles to relax. To feel the flow of energy return to her extremities. To be able to breathe and think and move.
Sucking in a lungful of air, she blew it out forcefully. She didn’t cry. No, that wouldn’t do at all. She owed it to him to be more of a woman at his departure than she was when he had arrived in her life.
A strangled sound escaped her throat. She swallowed hard. No. None of that. I will be strong.
She swallowed again and fumbled with the documents she held. Her fingers felt clumsy and wooden, but she managed to place her papers on the desk. It was time to lock up and go home, but she slumped into her chair, staring off into the corner. She slipped away from her surroundings and relived every moment of her life that Ty had touched.
She recalled when he had first bought a meal for her and Gracie. How fearful and wary she had been. And then when he’d caught up to her on the road in the broken-down car. He never hesitated to do the right thing. To offer a hand. To be a hero.
She swiped at a tear that rolled down her cheek. “No!” she said aloud, startled at the sound of her own voice rebounding back from all the hard surfaces. “No,” she whispered.
It was after five o’clock, and she could escape, but she was reluctant to return home and see the faces of both Gran and Gracie. What would they think? Did they know already?
Biting her lip, she groped for the keys and her small bag. She pushed her chair up tight to the desk and turned out the lights. She locked up, noting the sign in the window and a reflection in the glass gazing back at her. A distraught woman. A victim.
No! her voice shouted in her head. I am not a victim.
Straightening her spine, she stomped off to her car and threw herself inside. Not a victim. Never again a victim. Slamming the door, she stuck the key in the ignition and started the car, revving the motor too hard. People on the sidewalk turned to stare at her. Embarrassed, she backed out and quickly pulled into the street, wanting to escape the questioning gazes. By the time she reached the edge of town, she could almost breathe. The tightness in her chest was abating, only to be replaced by a hollow ache.
How could I fall in love with him when I knew he was just passing through? How could I be so stupid? She hammered herself with recriminations all the way back to the ranch. She turned onto the caliche road and slowed to turn into Gran’s drive.
Her throat closed up when she saw the empty space where Ty had parked his big red truck…and the horse trailer was missing too. Of course he would take his prize horse. She felt as if she were choking as she coasted to a stop. She turned off the vehicle and sat for a moment, gathering her courage. Okay, I can do this. I can’t let Gracie see me this way. She stepped out of the car just as the screen door burst open and Gracie came running out.
Gracie threw herself at Leah, grabbing her neck with both arms, the cast encircling her like a vise. “Mommy! Mommy! Guess what?”
The screen door banged again, and two dogs came running after Gracie.
“What?” Leah managed weakly.
“Ty had to go to Dallas.”
Leah squatted down in the dirt to embrace her daughter. Eddie came up to lick her arm and jump up against Gracie. Lucky came on the other side and sat beside her.
“And he said he thought I was responsible enough to take care of Lucky, so I’m babysitting him.”
The weight of this announcement hit her like a fist. Leah blinked rapidly. “He left his dog?”
Gracie nodded furiously.
Leah glanced from Gracie to Lucky and back again. “Oh,” she whispered. “He’s coming back! He’s really coming back.” She collapsed in a heap, falling on her rear in the dust and taking Gracie with her. Both dogs clustered around, poking her with their cold noses and giving her reassuring licks. She lay on her back, staring up at the early evening sky with a big grin on her face, tears of joy rolling into her hair. Just like that, everything changed.
<
br /> “Mommy, what’s wrong?” Gracie stared at her with concern.
“Nothing, baby. Nothing at all.”
* * *
It was dark when Ty pulled in at Will’s place. It was an old, converted brick building with the recording studio downstairs and living quarters above. Ty rang the bell and listened as footsteps sounded on the stairs. The door was flung open, and Will grabbed him in a big man hug.
“Glad to see you, buddy. Thought you were going to chicken out.” He pounded Ty on the back. Will was as tall as Ty and twice as wide. He seemed to have sprouted a beard since Ty had last seen him and bore an uncanny resemblance to a grizzly bear.
“Good to see you too, my friend.”
Will looked around. “Where’s your dog?”
“I left him with a friend,” Ty said.
Will snorted out a laugh. “I didn’t think you went anywhere without Lucky.”
Ty felt a pang of guilt, hoping he had made the right decision in leaving his dog in Gracie’s care.
“Come on in. Bring your stuff.” Will motioned to him.
Ty grabbed his guitar and duffel and stepped inside. He followed his friend up the stairs and found himself in a large, open space. Some of the walls had been removed, and the decor was definitely an ode to the music industry. Posters of country and rap artists adorned the walls, and nearly every horizontal surface was littered with CDs, most identified by scrawls of black permanent marker.
Will rounded on him. “Man, I’m glad to see you. You’re looking good. What’s going on at the Garrett homestead?”
Ty took a deep breath and expelled it. “There’s this girl…two of them to be exact…”
Will let out a howl. “Two of ’em and you didn’t call me? I thought you were my friend.”
Ty grinned and shook his head. “One of them is eight years old.” A picture of Gracie gazing up at him so trustingly flashed into his head. He swallowed and went on. “And the other one…” He paused, pressing his mouth into a straight line.
Will looked at him expectantly. “And? The other one was what?”
Ty heaved a deep sigh. “Just absolutely the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.” His voice trailed off as he visualized Leah’s sweet face.
Will punched him on the shoulder. “Man, you got it bad.”
“Yeah, I guess I do.”
Will pointed to a faded green futon. “That’s where you can crash, so drop your bag over there. The bathroom is under the stairs. Have you eaten?”
“I grabbed a burger on the way.”
Will pulled a couple of longnecks out of his refrigerator. “Time to unwind, man.” He flipped the caps off and slapped one into Ty’s open palm. “Let’s go upstairs.”
Ty followed him to an enclosed stairway leading to the roof. “Wow! What a great view.” He gazed out over the rooftops at the panorama of downtown Dallas and, in the other direction, the lights of Fort Worth. He wished Leah and Gracie could see it. That thought cut him like a knife. How had his life changed so completely in such a short period of time? What if he hadn’t stopped to eat at Tiny’s? What if her car hadn’t broken down? The intricacies of fate amazed him, but somehow, he knew this was meant to be. It just felt too right. He lifted the longneck to his lips and let the cold liquid roll down his throat.
Will dragged two lawn chairs into place and plopped into one of them.
“Excuse me a minute,” Ty said. “I have to make a call.” He walked to the other side of the roof and leaned against the ledge. He selected a number and pushed the button.
One ring. Two rings. Three rings.
And a breathless Leah answered. “Hello?”
He couldn’t suppress a grin. “Hello.”
“Oh my. I wasn’t expecting you to call… I mean, how nice.”
He could visualize her face.
“I wanted to let you know I arrived. I’m here at my buddy Will’s place.” He paused, not sure why he’d felt compelled to call. “I guess I just wanted to hear your voice.”
She let out a little mew of pleasure. “I’m so glad. I miss you already.”
“Me too.” He felt satisfied but couldn’t seem to hang up. Just knowing she was on the other end kept him grinning like an idiot. “Gracie is a little nervous about going to a new school. I tried to give her a pep talk, but you might want to help her get ready.”
“Thanks. I will. What are you doing now?”
“Standing on a rooftop, looking at the Dallas skyline, and thinking about you.”
“Oh, Ty. That is so sweet.”
When he finally disconnected, he returned to where Will was sitting, a big grin on his face.
Will looked at him over the top of his glasses before tilting the bottle back to drain the last of his beer. “Ty’s got it bad,” he pronounced.
* * *
Leah stood gripping the cell phone with both hands. He misses me. A gurgle of laughter bubbled up from her chest. She twirled around twice and then collapsed onto the bed.
The bed…
Ty had apparently pulled the quilt into place before his hasty departure, but it was still the bed where they had made love.
Leah had slipped out to the bunkhouse after putting Gracie to bed. Somehow, just being here had made her feel a little better. Then Ty’s call had lifted her spirits even further. Tucking the phone in her pocket, she stretched out on the bed.
Sweeping her palms over the fabric of the quilt, she laughed again. The texture of the joined scraps of cloth and the stitching on top was pleasing. A crazy quilt, like my life.
Sighing, she dared to let herself imagine a future with Ty. She felt as if she were dancing on the edge of a deep and dark abyss, where, if she fell, she might never again find herself.
She embraced his pillow, curling around it. Burying her face to inhale his scent, she imagined his arms holding her. She fell asleep this way, waking at dawn, somewhat disoriented and definitely feeling guilty.
Leah ran to the house and managed to throw herself in the shower before anyone else woke up. When she emerged, Gracie and Gran were in the kitchen. The smell of bacon enticed her. She threw on her clothes and ran a brush through her still-damp hair.
“Something smells good,” she called as she made her way down the hall.
Gran turned from the stove, a grin on her face. “I figured I needed to get in the habit of fixing a good breakfast for my girls.”
“That’s very nice, Gran.” Leah took her place at the table beside Gracie.
“I want you to have something solid to help you get started on your workday, and our Gracie is about to start school. Both you girls need some feed in your gullet.”
Leah saw the look of fear cross Gracie’s face. “Absolutely right, and we appreciate your efforts. Right, Gracie?”
Silently, Gracie pursed her lips but nodded.
Leah’s heart went out to her daughter. She knew how it felt to be afraid at school. She did not want Gracie to ever have to face the scorn of her classmates. “When I get my check, I’m going to take you shopping for some school clothes. I know you need new shoes.” She reached out to give Gracie’s shoulder a squeeze. “It will be fun.”
A half smile quirked the corners of Gracie’s lips. “Yeah.”
Gran cleared her throat. “I got a little something with your name on it right here in my pocket.” She patted her apron pocket. “I’ve started lockin’ the front door since we been havin’ all this trouble, so I’m a-givin’ you your grandfather’s key. Albert carried it with him every single day.” She reached in her pocket and extracted a key with some metallic items dangling from the ring.
“Oh, thanks, Gran. I’m sure you’re right I’ll need this.” She dangled the key in front of her. “Is this a dog tag?”
Gran pursed her lips as though gathering strength. “That there is Albert’s d
og tag from when he served in Vietnam. That was a bad time.”
Leah folded her grandmother in her arms. “I’ll take good care of this.” She tucked the key in her own pocket and reached for a biscuit, happy to enjoy a hearty breakfast with her daughter and grandmother.
She got to the office early and was hard at work trying to arrange the files in some sort of order when Breck walked in.
He smiled and tossed his black Stetson on the old-fashioned bentwood coatrack beside the door. “Good morning, Leah. How are the files coming along?”
She rolled her eyes. “Crazy, but I’m getting there. I’m making a bible of sorts with everything cross-referenced so it will be easy to find after I get finished.”
He let out a snort. “That will be amazing. You’re doing a great job.”
She felt a glow of pride blooming in her chest. She couldn’t recall ever getting this kind of compliment from a former employer. “Thanks,” she murmured.
“Can you find the will for James Garrett? My previous secretary prepared it, but I’ll be damned if I can find it. I want to look it over before he gets here.”
She searched through the estate files she had yet to sort and laid her hands on it in a relatively short time. “Um, yes. It’s right here.” She handed him a folder with the documents inside.
Breck leafed through the papers, nodding as he went. “Have you met Big Jim before? He’s Tyler’s dad.”
A shaft of fear shot through her, swift as a lightning bolt. She shook her head. “N-no, I’ve never had the pleasure.” She gripped the edge of the desk, her knuckles turning white.
“Let me know when he gets here.” Breck walked into his office with the file in his hands, leaving Leah to dissolve into a puddle of nerves in his wake.
Resolutely, she went to the filing cabinet where she found the entirety of the Garrett estate paperwork and ran her fingertips over the neatly arranged files. There were deeds and transfers and wills galore. Sucking in a deep breath, she pulled out the entire set of documents and took them to a table near the water cooler. She spread them out, determined to learn what she could about the man she had lost her heart to.
