Here To Stay (Welcome to Lucky Break, Arizona!)

by Forsythe, Patricia

  “Can’t someone do that now? Couldn’t we?”

  “It needs to be off of George’s mind. Even if he recovers, he may never be able to run cattle again.”

  “So you bought them.”

  He gave a shrug and she grinned at him, wondering if there was such a thing as being too responsible?

  When dinner was over and the kitchen was cleaned up, Billie headed for Cam’s office only to be waylaid by Brian’s morose expression and heavy sighs. He was standing in the hallway and had just snapped his cell phone shut in frustration.

  “What’s wrong, Brian?” Billie asked, stopping in front of him.

  “Kyndra will talk to me, but she doesn’t want to go out with me even though I promised I’d take her to a nice place. She says we should just be friends.”

  Billie frowned, recalling the girl’s adoring glances at Brian. What was Kyndra up to?

  “You can still go out just as friends.”

  “She says she’ll only go out if someone else comes, too.”

  “You mean like a double date?”

  He nodded.

  “Do you know anyone to double date with?”

  “Nah. She doesn’t like some of my friends and the ones she does like are gone for the summer.”

  “I can see Kyndra’s point about dating. She probably thinks it would be better if a bunch of you went out together.”

  “Or maybe if another couple, an older couple came with us. Not her mom and dad, or my dad.” He looked at her expectantly.

  “Well who would . . . ?” Billie’s eyes widened. “You mean me?” she asked on a squeak.

  Brian nodded, his face earnest and hopeful. “And Cam.”

  “What?”

  “That would be awesome,” Brian said, getting excited. “People like you. Kyndra likes you and everyone respects Cam. She’d really be impressed.”

  Billie stared at him dumb-founded. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

  “This is a great idea,” Brian said, getting carried away with the brilliance of his plan. Then he paused, apprehension clouding his face. “But, do you think Cam would do it? I mean, him being the boss and all?”

  “I don’t really know,” Billie answered, envisioning all kinds of problems and pitfalls with Brian’s plan. “I don’t think I want to do it, and . . . .”

  “Ah, Billie, come on, please! Otherwise, I’ll never get her to go out with me.”

  Distressed, Billie ran her hands through her hair, then looked at the worry in the boy’s face. Her objections melted away. “Oh, all right. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt. Just once.”

  “Thanks, Billie. You’re the best. And what about Cam? Do you think he’d do it?”

  “Sure, he would,” she said heartily, not at all sure. “Cam is very understanding, and . . . .”

  “And what?” Cam came up behind her. “I can’t wait to hear the end of that sentence.”

  Billie gave him a bright smile. “And I know you’d want to set a great example for Brian.”

  His eyes narrowed. “An example of what?”

  She glanced around to include Brian in the conversation only to discover that the boy had disappeared. “Responsibility,” she muttered.

  “What?”

  Turning her most winning and persuasive smile on Cam, she told him of the plan.

  Cam watched her face, seeing her expression go from serious to happy to sincere to persuasive all in the space of a few minutes. He was tempted to pretend opposition to this idea just to have her continue trying to convince him. The more she talked, the more her eyes sparkled and her curly hair bounced against her shoulders.

  “It wouldn’t really be a date,” she concluded. “More like the two of us going with them to dinner so Brian can learn a few of the rules about how to treat a lady.”

  The corner of his mouth edged up. “And you think I know?”

  “Of course. After all, I’ve seen you with your mother.”

  She had him there and they both knew it. To her credit, she didn’t gloat when he said, “Well, all right. I think we could do that. But don’t be surprised if people in Lucky Break start thinking we’re a couple. It’s a small town, after all.”

  “I’ll tell them I’m your chaperone,” she answered seriously.

  “Smart mouth,” he said, turning away to hide a grin.

  CHAPTER SIX

  The next morning, Cam drove out to check on the newly-acquired stock he’d turned into the pasture they’d cleared of buffelgrass, but his mind wasn’t on his work. He was thinking about Billie.

  He was going on a date with her.

  Yeah, it was to help Brian, who he’d taken on as summer help because his father was working in Tucson for a couple of months and was afraid the boy would get into trouble if he didn’t have something to keep himself occupied. And with no mother at home, Brian had no one to teach him how to treat a girl – at least until Billie showed up.

  Cam reached the pasture, parked the truck, and got out to lean on the fence and survey the small herd that was contentedly grazing its way through the replanted grama grass. The purchase of this neglected stock might have been financially foolish, but he knew it was morally right. He followed his conscience and his gut on matters to do with the ranch. What he’d learned from his father and what he’d learned on his own always guided his decisions on the Muleshoe. He only wished he had such a dependable guide when it came to Billie.

  Everything had changed once she showed up. She’d only been here a couple of weeks and Cam already knew things would never be the same. She had been with him when he’d unloaded this stock, photographing every move, getting in his way, but so full of interest and excitement that he couldn’t tell her to stay out of his way. One of these measly heifers was going to calve pretty soon and Billie had insisted that she wanted to photograph the birth. She had no idea what she was in for. Calving could be a messy business, and any calf coming from a puny, underfed heifer like this one wasn’t likely to survive – and neither was the heifer. It was part of life on a ranch, one of the more unpleasant parts, but Billie wanted to take it all in.

  Whether she knew it or not, she had made a big impact on the place. Her promise to be a ghost, a phantom had come to nothing, as he’d suspected it would. She was everywhere and into everything. In big ways and small ones, she made her presence known. He doubted that he would ever again look at Burt’s old cabin and not see her sitting on the porch, staring dreamily into the night sky.

  And he was going on a date with her. In Lucky Break where everyone knew everyone else’s business and where everyone knew how his last romance – his last two romances – had ended. For who-knows-what reason, he managed to fall for women who weren’t going to be around very long.

  He propped his foot on the bottom fence rail and slid it forward until his bootheel caught and held. He was at the point where he felt that he was turning a corner, and turning a profit, in the cattle business so he needed to keep his mind free of distractions.

  And then Billie came along with her enthusiasm, and her compassion, and her looks that made his breath hitch in his throat every time he came across her unexpectedly. But there was also the unshakeable feeling he had that she was a bit of a flake, a little like his mother. He loved his mother, but her various projects and enthusiastic pursuits had nearly bankrupted the ranch before Cam had been old enough to take over and begin digging them out of debt.

  Since that moment, he’d been Mister Responsibility, responsible for the ranch, his mom, his sister until she’d gone off to college and then started her career in finance before getting married, his employees, and a herd of not-too-bright bovines who could get themselves into trouble, but not out of it. He was a volunteer firefighter, a member of the city council, an upstanding citizen of this somewhat eccentric town.

  Cam knew without question that he was the one who had to be practical in this situation exactly as he was in every other area of his life. He paused and thought that over as he rubbed his thumb along his jaw.
Maybe once, only once, he’d like to do something totally irresponsible, something that he could look back on a few years down the road and decide it had been worth it.

  “Oh, who are you trying to kid,” he muttered. That kind of self-indulgence always had a price, and never a cheap one. He wanted to know more about her. He wanted to know what had driven her to wildlife photography. It was dangerous, wasn’t it? And it probably kept her out of the country for days, maybe weeks, at a time.

  He had to be the one to keep them from doing something they would both question later. He didn’t want her to leave the Muleshoe Ranch with any regrets or hard feelings and he didn’t want to be the one left with them either.

  He had enough responsibilities. What did he have in common with a woman who could fit the majority of her worldly goods into the trunk and back seat of a classic Mustang? With a woman who would pack up those worldly goods and speed away as soon as the photo shoots were finished?

  Nothing, he decided. Nothing in common. Cam ignored the hollowness brought on by that thought.

  * * *

  They could have gone out of town for their dinner date, to Sierra Vista or even in to Tucson, but Kyndra’s parents didn’t want her to be so far away for the evening, so they went to a steakhouse in town that fit the criteria Billie had convinced Brian were necessary for a date. The tables had real linens and matching napkins, and silverware that wasn’t plastic.

  Brian was so nervous he was sweating bullets and seemed to be mentally rehearsing what he was supposed to do. When the waiter showed the foursome to their table, Brian hustled ahead to pull Kyndra’s chair out for her. Unfortunately, he wasn’t watching where he was going, and stepped on the waiter’s foot as he did so. He yelped and Brian offered a red-faced apology as the man limped away to get glasses of water for them.

  When they were seated, Billie turned to Kyndra and said, “We’re so glad you could come tonight. This means a lot to Brian.”

  “I’m glad I could come. My brother and sister are with our grandparents in Safford for two weeks so I don’t have to be home even if my mom and dad have to work late,” Kyndra said, obviously grateful to be free of her babysitting duties for a while.

  “Oh,” Billie said, as a sudden thought struck her. “How would you like a job as my assistant for a couple of weeks?” She told Kyndra how much she could pay and the girl immediately agreed to take the job. Brian beamed at her and Billie knew that he was thinking she would be an advocate for him, pleading his case with his dream girl.

  The waiter brought water and menus and they began discussing their meal options.

  Billie glanced up to see Cam looking at her speculatively, as if he was trying to discover what she was thinking without actually asking her. She opened her mouth to ask what he wanted to know but before any words came out, a swirl of bronze taffeta caught her eye and Zoe Franklin’s voice waylaid her attention.

  “Oh here you are. Jess said I could find you here. What do you think of this outfit, Billie?” Zoe asked. “Isn’t it simply stunning?”

  The four of them stared, as did almost everyone else in the place. Stunning wasn’t the word, Billie thought. Terrifying was more like it. The dress was completely over the top with ruffles, bows, pleats, tucks, and smocking on the bodice and the enormous skirt. The sleeves were so full she must have had to walk sideways to get through the double front doors of the restaurant. On her head was a matching hat with a decoration that had no doubt sacrificed the tails of several peacocks.

  “I was thinking of it for the October page of my calendar.” She struck a pose. “I could portray the essence of harvest time, Lady Bountiful, surrounded by a plentiful display of grains, vegetables, fruits. . . .”

  “And nuts,” Cam finished with a straight face.

  Billie gave him a look and tried to think of something to say. “It’s really, quite, um . . . . “

  “Shiny,” Kyndra said, leaning closer to watch the sheen of the candlelight on the fabric.

  “Ah, yes,” Billie said, giving the girl a grateful look. “It might not photograph well.”

  “You might look like you were on fire,” Brian added.

  Zoe stared at them. “You must be joking. It’s perfect. See how the light plays off of it? Look how it sways when I move." She demonstrated, giving the skirt a swing that resembled a storm-tossed ship. The skirt must have had hoops in it because it bounced against their table causing everyone to lunge for their water glasses, then against the table next to them where those occupants scooted their chairs away.

  “Zoe, I think the city council has decided on all of the calendars,” Billie said, giving Cam a look that asked him to feel free to jump in anywhere and help her out.

  “Oh, pooh,” she responded with a wave of her hand. “That’s what my husband said, but I’m determined to change all of their minds.”

  “It’s a matter of money,” Cam said. “We can’t go over our budget.”

  Zoe’s hands went still. “Well, then I’ll have to pay for it myself.” Turning, she swept away, her skirt banging into everything in her path and causing wait staff to plaster themselves against the walls to get out of her way.

  Looking after her, Cam said, “I predict a loud and lengthy discussion at the Franklin house tonight.”

  “With lots of door slamming,” Brian added, watching the restaurant’s double doors whoosh shut.

  As everyone righted themselves and returned to the menu, Billie said, “That dress reminded me of the jungle in Central America. Birds, fruit, flowers . . . .” She smiled, remembering.

  “Central America,” Brian said, wrinkling his brow. “That’s like between North and South America, right?”

  “That’s why they call it Central America,” Kyndra pointed out, making Brian grin. “When were you there, Billie?”

  “Two years ago. It was my first photo shoot. I was actually there as someone else’s assistant.”

  “Like I’ll be for you?”

  Billie nodded. “That’s how I got started in wildlife photography. It was a fluke because someone else couldn’t go at the last minute so Aunt Portia’s friend asked me.”

  “Do you do that often?” Cam asked. “Drop everything and go off on a shoot?”

  “You mean like the one here in Lucky Break?” she asked sweetly. “Only if I don’t have something else going on and only if I know exactly how long I’ll be gone.” When he didn’t respond, she said, “Don’t worry, I’m not going to leave the town in the lurch and fail to finish the calendar shoots.”

  “Before you leave for Borneo,” he said. His tone was flat.

  Billie saw a flicker in his eyes that made her think it wasn’t simply an idle observation. “Will you be sorry to see me go?” she asked impulsively.

  He started to answer, but he was interrupted when Red Franklin rushed up to their table. “I’m glad I found you,” he said hurriedly without so much as a hello. “I called out to your place and Jess said you were here.”

  “Good old Jess,” Cam said, pulling his attention from Billie. “Always on the job.”

  “Have you seen Zoe?”

  “She was just here. I’m surprised you didn’t see her.”

  “I’m surprised he wasn’t caught up in the backdraft of that dress,” Brian muttered, causing Kyndra to nudge him into silence.

  “She seems to have some idea in mind about being featured in one of the calendars.” Cam glanced at Billie.

  The four people at the table looked at each other. Billie cleared her throat. “Actually, she wants her own calendar. She plans to pay for it herself.”

  Red’s usually ruddy complexion paled into pasty whiteness. His mouth opened and closed a couple of times. “She has no idea how much that would cost. I . . . I’d better go find her.”

  He rushed from the restaurant and dashed up the sidewalk only to be met in mid-stride by his wife. The two of them paused in front of the plate glass window that fronted on DeGrange Avenue and began a heated exchange. Everyone in the res
taurant turned to watch. Red threw his hands in the air, gesturing wildly while Zoe stood with her hands on her hips, her head thrust forward and her peacock feathers bouncing in the breeze. When Red was finished with whatever he was saying Zoe’s hands flew into the air as she argued back.

  “Dude,” Brian said in admiration. “This is better than a movie. We should record it and put it on the internet. Five bucks says she wins.”

  Kyndra giggled.

  After a few more minutes of arguing, Zoe whirled to stalk away, the swinging girth of her dress causing her husband to stumble backwards off the sidewalk. She didn’t seem to notice and within seconds, he had bounced back to his feet and hurried after her.

  “Round Two,” Brian said. He gave Cam and Billie a happy look. “This is the best date we’ve ever had, isn’t it, Kyndra?”

  She nodded.

  “See what I mean?” Cam asked, looking at Billie. “You’re stirring things up all right.”

  “I fail to see how that was my fault.”

  But this time, Cam was the one who couldn’t answer because he was suddenly swept into a hug from behind. Leather-clad arms enfolded him and he received a big, smacking kiss on the cheek.

  “Hello, dear,” Doreen Van Peter chirped. “I’m home.”

  Cam scrambled to his feet to give his mother a hug. She grabbed a chair from the next table, banged it smartly against Cam’s shin causing him to sit down with a yelp.

  Doreen looked around with a welcoming smile. “Hello, everyone. I went home, but Jess said you were here, so I came on over. I knew you’d want to see new pictures and video of the babies.” She whipped out her cellphone and gave it to Cam with one hand while she confiscated his menu with the other. “I’m starved. What sounds good?”

  “I’ll tell you what sounds good -- putting Jess on manure clean-up duty,” Cam muttered as he scooted his chair closer to Billie and leaned over to rub his leg. “For several days.”

  Billie snickered and he looked up with a grin. Unspoken questions simmered between them. She wanted to know if he would miss her when she was gone. The look he’d given her made her feel unsettled, as if she was standing on the edge of something and she needed to step off into the unknown. Her mind skittered away from that, knowing she didn’t have the courage.