Stars Over Texas (Dreamcatcher Series Book 2)

by Tessa Gray

  “Mom!” Carly rolled her eyes and burst out laughing.

  “Seriously. You are. What happened to my little Twinkle Toes?”

  “Geez.” Carly’s cheeks turned a rosy hue.

  They both chuckled at the name Meredith had given her daughter when she first started taking ballet lessons. Carly patted the bed, and Meredith climbed in beside her. “I don’t tell you this often enough, Carly, but I’m very proud of how well you’re doing in school, now. You’re really starting to turn things around.”

  “Mom, I need to tell you something.” Carly’s face had morphed into a frown, and Meredith felt her spirits plummet.

  Please, God. Don’t let her be in trouble again. Things are going so well.

  “I never mailed that letter to Mr. Lightfoot.”

  “But he said—”

  “I gave it to him when we sat down and ate the nachos. He hadn’t even read it yet. I’m sorry I kept that from you.”

  “Oh, honey.” Meredith felt torn in a million directions. Carly had pretended to mail the letter, but hadn’t, Adam had helped Carly cover her tracks.

  “I think Mr. Lightfoot knew I’d be in trouble with you if you found out I hadn’t mailed the letter. I think maybe he was just trying to give me a break. Or maybe he wanted me to tell you the truth on my own. Yeah. I think that’s probably what he was doing, don’t you?”

  Carly’s blue eyes lit up, and Meredith made the decision to stop finding fault with everyone else and focus on overcoming her own weaknesses.

  “I do think that’s probably what he was trying to do, I’m not saying it was right, Carly, but I suspect Adam was hoping you’d tell me on your own.”

  They spoke for several more minutes, and by the time Meredith left, she felt as though she’d navigated her way through a very difficult obstacle course.

  She left Carly’s room, and when she got to the kitchen, she reached into her purse for the cell phone. Rummaging through several business cards, she picked up the card Adam had given her. She dialed his number quickly, before she lost her nerve.

  “Hello?” The hesitation in his voice told her he hadn’t a clue who was calling.

  “I know you said you were busy grading, but, I . . . well . . . I need to set the record straight. Do you have a minute?”

  Her hands were trembling now as she considered all this man had done for her. And yet, having to depend on another person to make it through a difficult time just didn’t seem like the right thing to do. Particularly someone you were physically attracted to. Of course, the feeling might not be mutual, given the fact he’d turned down her dinner invitation.

  “Well. I . . . um. Sure.”

  Before she could stop herself, it all came tumbling out. “I need someone in my court, Adam, but I don’t want a physical relationship though. Truthfully, the last thing I need is for the two of us to end up sleeping together.”

  “Okay?” His tone was one of confusion, and she realized she’d said too much, way too much.

  “Glad we got that straightened out.” It barely came out of her mouth before she realized she was digging herself a hole.

  Adam hesitated for a split second, and when he spoke, his tone had the faintest hint of humor. “Am I missing something, here? I’m confused.”

  Her initial reaction was to lash out at him, to tell her he’d be damn lucky to get in her bed. But when she recalled the conversation they’d had up at Big Bend, she realized Adam considered her vulnerable. He probably made a point of choosing his words carefully, not wanting to create the impression he wanted to bed her. Annoyed with herself for acting so stupid, she tried to explain herself in a more articulate way.

  “I guess I tend to overthink things, to overanalyze. I’m just saying that the two of us aren’t very well suited for one another. Because of that, I think it’d be best if we kept our relationship platonic.”

  “I couldn’t agree with you more.” He sounded peeved as he said it, and Meredith suspected in this case that silence was golden. Adam Lightfoot probably wanted to tell her she’d be the last woman he wanted to begin a relationship with.

  Meredith stared out the window at the full moon. She’d dug herself a hole here trying to detach herself from a man she was beginning to care about. And so far, it wasn’t going well. Adam was a wordsmith, she was his direct opposite, often saying the first thing that popped into her head.

  “I’m very grateful, Adam, for all you did for my children this afternoon.”

  “They’re good kids, Meredith. You should be proud of them.”

  “I am.” She looked down at the frayed, beige carpeting in her bedroom, wondering how best to end this conversation.

  Luckily, he beat her to the punch.

  “I’d better get back to my grading. You take care, now.”

  He hung up the phone before she could reply.

  ~ ~ ~

  Adam popped open a cold beer and plugged several more grades into the computer before shutting it down. He was still reeling from the awkward conversation he’d just had with Meredith Chapman. What had prompted her to phone him, particularly since he’d turned down her dinner invitation? Of course, the real reason for that was he didn’t trust himself with her.

  On some levels, he wished he could be more like Jake, living for the moment. Had that been the case, he’d have accepted Meredith’s dinner invitation and. Well. It didn’t matter now, did it? Sometimes he detested the fact he was a man of integrity. But he’d assured Meredith on the camping trip that the two of them needed to keep a safe distance from one another, and he wouldn’t renege on his promise.

  As he thought about the phone call he’d just received from her, he felt confused as hell. Just last month at the campout, Meredith had pretty much asked him to sleep with her, at least, that’s the impression he’d gotten.

  But apparently, he had misread her. He thanked his lucky stars he had the great good sense not to do something stupid.

  He’d come damn close to telling her to go screw herself when they’d talked on the phone just now. Of course, that would serve no purpose other than to help him let off some steam. The woman frustrated the hell out of him. One minute he felt sorry for Meredith Chapman and wanted desperately to reach out to her, the next minute he wished she’d stay the heck away from him.

  Women.

  He carried his laptop over to his desk and set it down. As he plugged the chord into the wall to recharge it, he noticed the letter Carly Chapman had given him at the cafeteria. Picking it up, he carried it back over to the sofa and flopped down to read it.

  Dear Mr. Lightfoot,

  My mom said I had to write this letter.

  He smiled to himself as he read the first line. Most kids might have considered being a bit more tactful, but not Carly. Clearly, she was her mother’s daughter. Shaking his head, he continued reading.

  I was wrong to skip school with Josh. Mom thinks it was his idea, but it wasn’t. It was mine. He’s the only person at school who talks to me, and I guess I just wanted to get away from the school.

  I hate it here so much. I don’t know why I’m even telling you this. I just pretend that I like it here so my mom won’t freak. I did meet a new friend, though . . . an older lady. Her name’s Ellie, and she works at the train station. I go down there almost every day right after school. I wish I could just get on the train and go far, far away. I don’t know where I’d go. Anywhere but here. I can’t make friends here. I really can’t make friends anywhere.

  Wow, I’m just babbling, huh? I just wanted to thank you for being so nice. I’m not sure you know this, but I think my mom kind of likes you.

  Carly Elisabeth Chapman

  Adam folded the letter in half and sat stone-faced, wondering if Meredith realized her daughter was having this much difficulty making friends. As m
uch as he wanted to pick up his phone and give Meredith a call, he realized how deeply hurt Carly would be to find out he’d betrayed her confidence.

  He leaned back on the sofa and picked up his beer. He took several deep gulps, downing the entire can before setting it back down on the coffee table.

  Out of the blue, he thought about Grace. She’d have been eight now, a long way from becoming a teen, but still, he wondered how he would have handled those difficult years if he’d had the opportunity.

  As a longtime educator, he often grew frustrated with how parents placed blindfolds on, choosing to ignore many of the warning signs of a troubled child. But having watched the connection between Meredith and her two children, he made the decision to give Meredith Chapman a pass. She was doing the best she could with an absentee ex-husband, and a meddling mother who, at times, she claimed drove her insane. And in all fairness, she’d come a long way since her suicide attempt.

  Still, all this didn’t solve the problem at hand. Carly was barely keeping it altogether. It would only be a matter of time before everything unraveled.

  Chapter 10

  Kelsey Wainwright stood in the backyard of their farmhouse watching her husband entertain several friends who’d dropped by for a visit. As she studied the three men engaged in conversation, she realized that despite the fact Jake Crenshaw sometimes drove her insane, he’d be a permanent fixture around the Wainwright home forever because he and Nathan had been friends since childhood.

  The other man, Adam Lightfoot, seemed out of place. Jake had dragged him along, and so far, he’d contributed little to the conversation. She watched Nathan and Jake swig down another beer and laugh at some joke she couldn’t quite make out. Shaking her head, she wished the visitors would leave so she could have her husband all to herself.

  Kelsey smiled as Nathan lifted their baby daughter into the air and begin blowing on little Gwyneth’s tummy. As the baby squealed loudly, she fought back the sea of emotion welling up inside her. She wanted to freeze this moment, to preserve it forever.

  She laughed aloud, aware that some women would have been overwhelmed going from being single to being a mother of four within a year’s time, but not Kelsey. She was born to be a mother, and she’d already begun dreading the day all four children would be grown up and on their own.

  Nathan wandered over to where she stood, balancing Gwyneth on his hip, and leaned over and kissed her on the lips. “I can take the kids for a while, Kels. You’ve been on your feet all day. Jake and Adam can help me out. I suspect once I sic all the kids on them, they’ll take off before too long.”

  He reached over, cupping the back of her neck with one hand, the way he always did when they were preparing to make love. They had been married for nearly two years, and still, the man took her breath away.

  She considered making up an excuse to get rid of their guests. She could always tell them Nathan had something he needed to take care of—she wouldn’t, of course. Nathan rarely had a moment to hang out with the guys. She’d chalk this up as her gift to her husband.

  When she stared over once again at the college professor Jake had dragged along, she felt a rush of pity for him. Adam Lightfoot looked totally out of place as he stood, listening to Jake drone on and on.

  “He’ll grow on you, Kelsey. Adam’s a bit quirky, but deep down, he’s a pretty decent fellow.” He kissed Gwyneth on the forward and looked at his wife, waiting for an answer.

  “You read my mind, Nathan. That’s exactly what I was thinking, how completely quirky the guy is.”

  “That’s what happens when you get married, babe. Before long, we’ll be finishing each other’s sentences.” Her husband looked over at Adam again and shifted the baby’s weight so Gwyneth was straddling his hip. “From what I hear, I think your friend, Meredith, likes him, although he hardly seems her type.” Kelsey nodded, thinking how much the introverted college professor reminded her of Nathan when the two had initially met. Nathan was her direct opposite, a large-animal country vet who felt uncomfortable with anyone other than family. It had taken awhile, but he was finally coming around. Maybe there was hope for Adam, after all.

  When Nathan leaned over and kissed her throat, his breath warming her, she considered sending everyone home, so she could have her man all to herself.

  “Get a room!” Jake’s voice startled the two, and when she moved away from Nathan, Jake began sprinting across the lawn. Adam reached out as if trying to stop him, but Jake never was one to take orders. Adam sauntered behind.

  As the men stood facing the couple, Adam jammed both hands into the pockets of his jeans and cleared his throat. “We should probably get going, Jake. I’m sure Nathan and Kelsey have better things to do than spend the day entertaining the two of us.” When Jake arched his brows at the remark, Adam’s face reddened, as though Jake might take the comment the wrong way.

  “Kelsey, come quick.” Kelsey’s heart raced as her foster daughter, Jessica, called out from the other side of their yard. “Baby Caleb pooped his pants. Can you clean it up?” She laughed at Jessica’s comment and raced over to help.

  “I’ll get it, babe. You’ve done enough. We’ll take the kids for a while. Go in the house and relax. Pour yourself some wine and put your feet up.” Nathan’s gray eyes widened as the two of them locked gazes. “I mean it, Kels. I’ve got this covered. Go!”

  She was turning to leave when Nathan suddenly handed baby Gwyneth over to Adam. “Take her for a sec, will you? Unless you prefer changing Caleb’s stinky diaper.”

  Kelsey initially thought Adam would find the remark humorous, but judging by the scowl on his face, that wasn’t the case. Adam’s jaw muscles clenched, and when Gwyneth leaned against Adam’s shoulder and snuggled up to him, he looked even more uncomfortable.

  By now Nathan had strode across the yard to retrieve their son, and as Adam stood rigidly, holding her daughter, Kelsey decided that although she knew very little about Adam Lightfoot, one thing was certain; the man wasn’t a fan of children, at least, not hers.

  She expected Jake to intervene and come to Adam’s rescue. He’d held Gwyneth many times, and by all accounts, seemed to love cuddling the baby girl.

  To her surprise, Jake didn’t. Instead, he stared over at Adam, a strange look on his face. He cleared his throat, and when he finally spoke, Kelsey thought she detected a slight melancholic tone. Almost as though he knew something she didn’t.

  “Look, Kels. We really do need to get rolling. I’ve got bar duty tonight, lots of stuff to set up. You know how it is.” After Jake said it, he lifted the baby from Adam’s arms and handed Gwyneth over to her.

  “Thanks for your hospitality.” Adam’s voice sounded almost robotic as he dipped his head, squeezed out a thin smile, and began walking over to Jake’s truck. “Tell Nathan goodbye for us.”

  Within a minute, both men were gone. Kelsey stood quietly, trying to take it all in. What did Meredith see in Adam Lightfoot? He seemed far too serious for his own good, and very, very unhappy. Small wonder his marriage hadn’t worked out. If Meredith had a lick of sense, she’d steer clear of the college professor.

  ~ ~ ~

  The following week Meredith sat in the auditorium of Sul Ross University, listening to a cowboy poet named Baxter Black. The older man was famous in Cowboy Poetry Gathering circles— performing for decades and even appearing on late night television back in his day. As she and Rachel listened to the veterinarian/rancher/poet recite some of his works, Meredith had to admit the man was captivating. Despite the fact she knew next to nothing about the life of a cowboy, this guy managed to keep everyone spellbound, including her.

  Rachel leaned over, cupping her hands over her mouth as she spoke. “I told you he was amazing.”

  Meredith realized her friend was fishing, so she decided to tell Rachel exactly what the girl wanted to hear. “He truly
is amazing, Rach. You were right. I’m really glad we came.”

  Several minutes later, after the audience gave Baxter Black a thunderous applause, the two women got up to leave when Meredith spotted Jake and Adam. When it was apparent they couldn’t see the girls, she decided that avoiding Adam might be easier than she’d first thought.

  She’d seen little of him during the past week, ever since she’d called him, making a total jackass out of herself. What had possessed her to call the guy and tell him she didn’t want a physical relationship? It wasn’t as though he tried to jump her bones. She shrugged and made the decision to just let it go.

  By the time they made it outside, Jake had spotted both women through the exiting crowd. When he motioned Rachel over, she turned to look back over at Meredith. “I’m going to catch up with Jake and get some lunch. I’ll see you in a bit.” Rachel’s comment caught Meredith by surprise, and she realized that once again, her friend was abandoning her for a guy who offered her absolutely no future.

  But Meredith decided to pretend she was fine with the idea of Rachel choosing Jake over her. “Actually, I’m working at three. How about we catch up later?” She tried to sound upbeat as she waved Rachel on.

  “You sure you don’t mind?” Rachel’s eyes lit up, and although Meredith did mind, she pretended her friend’s abrupt departure didn’t faze her. “I mean, you could come to lunch with us if you wanted to.”

  “No, Rachel. It’s fine. Really.” Meredith pushed past the throng of poetry gathering patrons, hoping to avoid Adam.

  It was next to impossible to see over the sea of cowboy hats spread throughout the crowd, so she looked down, following the thud of cowboy boots across the campus of Sul Ross University.

  As she held a hand up, shielding herself from the glaring sunlight, she spotted Adam. He stood under a tall Mesquite tree, cowboy hat in hand. She found the visual interesting and alluring, as her heart skipped a beat.