BILLY AND THE KID

by Kristine Rolofson

  "How'd you know that?"

  He shrugged. "It's a small town."

  She looked at her watch. "I'm late. There'll be hell to pay if the grill isn't hot by six." Daisy flew through the house and disappeared around the corner. He heard the door open and shut, and then he was alone. With Spring. He held her up to eye level as he walked into the living room.

  "I will do anything, buy anything, pay anything if you will let me sleep for two hours." A bubble popped from between the baby's tiny pursed lips. "I'll take that to mean we have a deal?"

  Will thought she might have smiled, but he couldn't be sure. He glanced towards the couch and knew he wouldn't get any sleep there. "Okay, then, how about stretching out in Mama Bear's bed?"

  * * *

  "Do you still have him?" Joe settled himself on a stool and waited for someone to pour him a cup of coffee, which Daisy did.

  "Shh," she said. "As far as I know, he and the baby have gone home. I left over four hours ago. How did you know he was at my place?"

  He winked at her. "It's my business to know these things. I'm the sheriff."

  "He called you," Daisy said, belatedly remembering that fact. "Have you found the baby's mother yet?"

  The sheriff's face lost its teasing expression. "No. Needle in a haystack, too, since we're not talking about a recent birth. I've checked some area hospitals, but nothing's come back yet." He took a sip of coffee. "How'd he make out last night?"

  "Just fine. He did it all by himself."

  "Yeah, I thought he would."

  "Why?"

  Joe shrugged. "I've known Will all my life. He's never been afraid of anything."

  "I guess that's why he was so good in the rodeo."

  "Yeah, but fear didn't have anything to do with it." Joe smiled at her. "Can I get an order of eggs and bacon?"

  "Sure. Fried?"

  He nodded. "When he wakes up, tell him to come see me. We need to talk."

  "Sure." Daisy ignored the curious look Heather gave her as she put the order on Barlow's clipboard.

  "When he wakes up?" Heather said in a low voice. "Does this mean what I think it means? You spent the night there?"

  "No." Daisy busied herself making another pot of coffee. "Of course not."

  Heather sidled up next to her. "He spent the night with you?"

  "He needed help with the baby. I couldn't let him try to take care of that poor little thing all by himself."

  "Of course not. Just because he's the handsomest man this town has ever produced has nothing to do with it."

  "Shut up," Daisy said, flicking the switch to On. "How was your date last night?"

  "Not as exciting as yours. We just watched a movie."

  "We fed a baby," Daisy countered, flashing her a quick smile.

  "That's all?"

  "Yep. Told you so."

  Heather shook her head. "I'm the one saying 'I told you so,' boss. He's the kind of guy to get under your skin."

  "He's not my type at all," she assured the girl, lying through her teeth. Will Wilson was exactly the kind of man she'd married twice before. Big mistakes.

  "Who's not your type?" an elderly rancher called out. "You talking about me again, Daisy, sweetheart?"

  "You're my type, Cal." She refilled his coffee, then went down the counter and topped off everyone's coffee while she was at it. "Old and rich."

  "Well, old, anyway," Cal said, enjoying the attention of the other men seated at the counter.

  "Hell, Cal," someone said. "You sold your biggest ranch to that movie star last year. You've got more money than the governor."

  The men laughed, which was nothing new. They were a cheerful group in the morning, full of eggs and coffee and something to say. Sooner or later they'd put on their coats and wander off. Daisy often wondered what they did with the rest of their days. Some of them returned for lunch, others brought their wives for one of the dinner specials. But before ten, it was a man's world. She kept hoping that one of them would turn out to be the man for her, a kind and quiet man who wanted nothing more than a wife and kids. So far she had met a few possibilities, but the men who had asked her out on dates were not the men she hoped would ask her.

  "Daize!"

  She turned to see that Joe's order was up, so she delivered it to him. "Maybe I should check on your friend," she said, her voice low.

  "No hurry," Joe said, picking up his fork and digging into a pile of hash browns. "If he's lucky enough to be asleep, leave him to it." He grinned. "At least for five minutes while I finish my breakfast."

  "Take your time, Sheriff." A group of six sauntered in, so the morning rush wasn't over yet. "Maybe I've lucked out and he's already headed for home."

  Joe's eyebrows rose. "Have you seen his place?"

  "Of course not."

  "Well, it's not what I'd call a 'home'."

  She picked up a handful of menus. "A ranch?"

  He shook his head. "Will was going to burn it down at first, but my wife convinced him that it was worth saving and would add to the value of the place. I'm not sure she was right. That house needs a lot of work."

  "Then why did he buy it?"

  Joe picked up his coffee. "He didn't. He inherited it from his grandmother a few months ago. It's a nice piece of land and not too far from town."

  Cal leaned over. "The Wilson place?"

  "That's the one."

  "Heard the grandson was back," the old man said, as Daisy hurried past to greet the new customers. "Those Wilson kids could get into more trouble than any kids I ever saw."

  Daisy paused. "Kids?"

  "Billy and his sister. Never knew what they would be up to, and the mother wasn't much help."

  "Who?" the man to the right of Cal turned their direction.

  "The Wilson kids, from north of town. Billy went on the rodeo circuit a while back." He looked at Joe. "When was that?"

  "About fifteen years ago," the sheriff said, pushing his empty plate away. He pulled four dollars out of his pocket and put them on the counter. "Got a minute, Daisy?"

  "Sure, just let me get these folks started."

  "I'll do it," Heather said, plucking the menus from Daisy's hands. "One of them is real good-looking."

  "Good luck." She turned to Joe and kept her voice low. "I'll meet you at the other door, otherwise people will—"

  "Talk," he finished for her. "Yeah, I know. Thanks for breakfast." He nodded toward the rest of the men and left.

  "Barlow? I'm taking a break," she called, untying her apron from around her waist. She tossed it under the counter and then went through the back room and unlocked the apartment door.

  "Will?" Daisy tiptoed through the hall and into the living room, but there was no sign of the cowboy or his baby. Spring's belongings were as Daisy last saw them, stacked on chairs and spilling out of shopping bags, so she unlocked the back door for Joe.

  "He must be here," she told him, knowing there was one room she hadn't checked. "Everything he bought is still in the living room."

  Joe followed her down the short hallway. "Then where—"

  "Here." Daisy gulped as she peered into her bedroom. Will looked much too comfortable stretched out on her bed. He was snoring quietly, his head on her pillow and Spring's little body tucked against his side. His unbuttoned shirt revealed a white T-shirt, his jeans were unsnapped and his feet were bare. The baby beside him kicked her legs and gurgled as if to say hello. "I guess he got tired of the couch."

  "Well, tell him to call me when he wakes up."

  "You're leaving?"

  "I'll be at the office doing paperwork and making phone calls if you need me." He grinned. "I don't think Will is going to be much trouble, though."

  "That's because he's not in your bed."

  "He's slept on my couch a few times. You'll have one hell of a time waking him up."

  No, she wouldn't. "Shouldn't he be on his ranch taking care of horses or cows or something?"

  Joe chuckled. "See you later, Daisy. I'll let myself o
ut."

  Daisy tiptoed into the room and leaned over the bed to pick up Spring. "Hey, sweetheart. Did you have a nice nap?"

  The cowboy didn't stir, not even when she shoved his leaden arm out of the way. She could raise her voice, but she didn't want to scare the baby. She could shake him, but that would involve touching him and she wasn't prepared to lay a hand on him. The more she kept her distance the better. Daisy settled for getting her bottle of water out of the bathroom closet and spraying his face with the mist.

  "Shut the window, darlin'," he mumbled, and turned over on his stomach.

  "Get up," she said, leaning close to his ear.

  "Sorry, hon," he muttered. "Can't get it up now."

  Daisy rolled her eyes heavenward. "Thank God for small mercies."

  * * *

  "Where is she?"

  Daisy, busy wiping the counter, looked up and glared at him. Too late he remembered he was supposed to go around and come in the restaurant door.

  "She's fine," the waitress said. "No thanks to you."

  "Where is she?" he repeated, hurrying to button his shirt as he crossed the room. "Did Sarah come—"

  "Over there." Daisy pointed over his shoulder, so he turned to see his baby in the arms of that old witch Hazel Murphy and a boothful of her gossiping cronies. "See? She's fine."

  He halted in mid-stride and turned back to Daisy. "Do you know what you've done?"

  "Do you?"

  Will stepped closer and leaned over the counter. "What in hell are you talking about?"

  "You fell asleep—deeply asleep—while that baby was beside you. Awake. You can't do that." She scrubbed a piece of egg yolk from the Formica, then tossed the cloth into the sink. "It's not safe."

  He sank onto the end stool. "Yeah. You're right." He glanced over his shoulder and saw the baby being passed to another old lady. The women were clearly enjoying themselves, and the baby didn't look like she minded the attention. Which proved she was a Wilson, of course. He turned back to Daisy, determined to apologize. "I guess I'm not used to fatherhood yet."

  "No." She poured a cup of coffee and set it in front of him. "Here. Breakfast is over, but Barlow will make you some lunch."

  "I'd better not. I have to see if Joe found out anything." But he took the coffee and remembered to say thank you. "Jeez, that scared me. Waking up and finding her gone like that..."

  Daisy's eyes twinkled. "I guess that doesn't happen to you very often?"

  "Yeah, right. Women usually beg me to stay." He tried to remember the last time that had happened, but his brain refused to cooperate. Not enough caffeine. Or not a good memory.

  "Joe was here a couple of hours ago. He said to come over when you woke up."

  "Did he say if he found anything?"

  She shook her head. "Nothing. Sorry." Then she nodded towards the corner booth. "I fed her and cleaned her up, but I think your daughter is ready for another nap. She's been awake for a while and I can't leave—Heather has the afternoon off."

  "I'll take her with me." He took one last swallow of coffee and stood. "I really appreciate the help you've given me."

  "What about the ladies? Maybe one of them would baby-sit for you."

  "And give them something else to talk about? No way in hell."

  "Too late," Daisy whispered.

  Sure enough, two hundred pounds of Mrs. Murphy were bearing down on him at high speed. "Billy Wilson," she called, adjusting her glasses. "Is that you?"

  "Yes, ma'am."

  "I heard you were back in town. Never thought I'd see the day that—"

  "Excuse me, Mrs. Murphy, but I have to—"

  "Oh, that girl of yours is just fine. Maude has her and we're all taking turns spoiling her silly. We didn't hear you got married. And you a father? Why you could have knocked me over with a feather when Daisy said that little baby was yours. Looks just like your mother, don't you think?"

  He tried backing up, but the counter stopped him. "Yes, ma'am. Same eyes."

  "Exactly what I told Maude. Same eyes, I said. And she's got your chin."

  Will hoped to God that wasn't true. "I really have to get going," he said, moving sideways. "Spring, uh, needs a nap."

  Hazel Murphy put a restraining hand on his arm and lowered her voice. "We're all real sorry about your wife. But you're better off without her, don't you think?" With that, she hurried off to rejoin her friends. Daisy handed him his hat and coat.

  "I'll meet you around back with Spring," she said.

  "Don't you think this is a little ridiculous? I already came out of your apartment a few minutes ago."

  "But nobody noticed."

  "They noticed," he grumbled. "And what was that about my wife?"

  "I told them she ran off."

  "Why?"

  "Postpartum depression." Daisy shrugged. "It was all I could think of. They caught me by surprise."

  "No, I meant why did you tell them I was married?"

  "You didn't want them gossiping. So I decided to go for the pity factor." She smiled, looking ridiculously appealing even though her yellow topknot was listing to the left and a strand of blond hair trailed down her neck It wasn't a good time to picture her naked and in his bed, but Will couldn't stop the fleeting image that flashed through his mind.

  "But did you have to tell them I was married?" She shrugged. "Is that so bad?"

  "Honey," he said, surprising himself by bending over to whisper in her pretty little ear. "It's a fate worse than death."

  * * *

  Chapter 5

  «^»

  "I don't understand men."

  "Of course not," Barlow said. "No matter what my wife says, we're complicated creatures." He dipped a long-handled spoon into the soup pot and tasted tomorrow's special, Texas chili, then made a face of disgust.

  "How is it?" Daisy stopped fiddling with her pencil. She was tired of adding columns and wondering if she was making enough money. "Ready for the contest?"

  He tossed the spoon in the sink. "Not hot enough."

  "That's what you always say, and then I spend two hours refilling water glasses." Daisy peeked through the large rectangular opening to make sure no new customers walked in. "From now on I'm going to mind my own business, especially when it comes to taking care of babies."

  "Good luck."

  "You don't think I can?"

  He opened the cooler and stored the pot of chili inside. "You're living in a small town now, Daize. There's no such thing as privacy."

  "That's what Will Wilson said."

  "He should know." Barlow took his black leather jacket off the hook by the door. "Everyone in town will be talking about him and that baby, you wait and see."

  "I guess I shouldn't have told Mrs. Murphy and Maude Anderson that Will's wife ran off."

  "He's married?"

  "No. I made that up. I don't know what came over me." All of a sudden she'd felt so darned protective of both the man and the baby. It seemed ridiculous now, when she had time to think. When she had time to think of other things to say, like...nothing at all. Her mother had always told her to think before she spoke, yet that was something she hadn't learned. Until now.

  Barlow grinned and put on his jacket. "And you think men are hard to understand?"

  "I guess it was that darling baby." Her sweet face and those trusting blue eyes had melted Daisy's heart.

  "Uh-oh."

  "What?"

  "Whenever Bonnie gets that look on her face, we end up rescuing another dog."

  "How many do you have?"

  "Five." He sighed. "You know how much dog food costs?"

  Daisy didn't think he really wanted an answer. "I'm not going to start adopting kids. I have enough trouble now. Do you think I need to raise the price of a bowl of chili?"

  "You need to get some rest, hire some evening help. If you're not careful, you're going to burn out."

  "When Darlene comes in, I'll go lie down for a while."

  "Promise?"

  "Sure." Darlene,
a widow who worked in the high-school cafeteria, liked picking up extra hours at the café during the week. "She knows that grill almost as well as you do."

  "There's plenty of roast beef sliced for open-faced sandwiches and the gravy is on the stove. Don't forget to stir it once in a while. See you tomorrow."

  "Thanks."

  "And stay away from that baby or the next thing I know you'll be telling me you're pregnant," he warned.

  "Not a chance," she quipped, thinking at the same time how wonderful that might be. If she had a husband. If she had a husband who would actually stick around long enough to be a father. Barlow left out the side door. A blustery wind fanned her legs before the door closed behind him. It looked like it was going to be another horribly cold night. Would Spring be safe and warm? Would that cowboy take care of her properly?

  "I will mind my own business," she repeated once again. "Even if three hundred homeless babies start screaming right in the middle of the supper rush." She returned to her account book and tried not to think of Spring.

  * * *

  "That's it?"

  Joe tossed the file onto the pile of papers in the middle of his desk. "That's all I can do right now, unless you have some idea where she'd be."

  Will leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. "If I did I would have gone there already. The last time I heard she was living in Salmon, Idaho, but when I got there she was gone and no one knew where."

  "No letters, phone calls?"

  "A postcard from Boise about two years ago, after the funeral. I kept hoping she'd come back after that."

  "But she didn't." Joe leaned back and studied his friend. "You look like hell."

  "Yeah. I'm worried about her and what's happened. And I'm sure praying she comes back soon for her daughter." He glanced down at his feet at the baby asleep in her car seat. She was asleep at last, having survived a trip out to the ranch to check on the animals. He'd managed to do his chores in record time while Spring had slept inside the barn. Thank goodness he didn't have to do much more than feed the horses and let them out. Bozeman was content with a full dish of dog food and fresh water, but otherwise preferred to go in and out through a door Will had cut in the porch. He'd been sleeping in the middle of Will's unmade bed, too, most likely happy to have the place to himself.